Serve And Protect
by Yukikoneko1990
Summary: "Pleased to meet you," he spoke in that voice which - Yugi was sure - could make a candle melt without having to light it. "Yugi," he stuttered out quietly as he accepted Atem's hand, "Yugi Moto." AU, SLASH, MPREG, RATED M FOR A REASON


**This one brought back memories.**

**Yu-Gi-Oh! was my first fandom ever! I still love it SOOOOOOOO much! :D**

**Oh, and I also wanted to tell you that a friend of mine decided to gift me with her T - u -m - b - l - r, account because mine was deleted by _that person_. So you can find me there as well under housefrau90. She made that account there but she doesn't really like it, and so I'll be using her account from now on. :D**

**cut**

Written for **naokinaozumi1508!**

**I used all the points of your request (I think) so I hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: **I claim no rights to the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything connected to the fandom. This is made purely for fun. The song featuring in this story is 'Read All About It' sung by Emeli Sandé. I claim no rights to it.

**Warnings: **slash, Mpreg, explicit content, shameless fluff, violence, blood,

**cut**

A lone figure sat in a bench by the ocean. His muscled body was dressed in light, white, loose cotton pants and a white button up shirt, with white sneakers on his feet. His tanned skin, stretched over taunt muscles glimmered in the setting sun. Blond bangs fell into his face while the rest of his wild black hair with dark violet tips danced around his head on the light, warm breeze.

A pair of rimless, square-shaped reading glasses obscured eyes of deepest violet, full of knowledge and wisdom belied by his young appearance.

He stretched long, lean legs and crossed his ankles before he sighed and pushed his hands in the pockets of his pants, the breeze parting his unbuttoned shirt, showing off his muscled torso as he slid lower in his seat, head tilting back and eyes slipping closed.

The sun was melting into the sea on the far horizon, and the wind whispered in the waves which caressed the shore.

"Can you believe this? We're working our asses off, and he's just lying here like a boss."

He chuckled as he raised his head and looked at the two men standing a few feet away from him, both looking at him with both annoyance and amusement in their eyes.

"Jealousy doesn't befit you, Bakura," he spoke in a deep voice which more often than not brought both men and women to their knees as he stood up. A stronger gust of wind ruffled his hair and clothes, and the other two looked at their own attire in disdain, since both wore business suits. "Did you make it?"

"'Course we made it, _Pharaoh,_" Bakura pressed out through his teeth as he raised his left hand to flick his long, wild, white hair over his shoulder and fanned his face, trying to find at least _some_ relief from the evening heat.

"We've managed to enter the system without any problems. From tomorrow morning we will be attending Domino High as seniors," the second man spoke up, lilac colored eyes looking at their relaxing partner with the usual calculating gaze, platinum blonde hair dancing in the wind, clashing sharply with his dark skin.

"While _you_ were lying around, Malik and I busted our asses. I _hate_ undercover missions," Bakura grumbled, and his companions laughed at him.

"Did you do your part, Atem?" Malik asked, lilac eyes glimmering mysteriously.

"I have the profiles of the targets. This shouldn't be too hard," Atem stated calmly as he brushed his right hand through his wild hair before letting it fall to his side.

"Where's Wheeler?" Malik asked, and while Bakura rolled his eyes, Atem chuckled and shook his head.

"Late," he stated with amusement shining in his eyes, "as _always_."

"It's not nice ta talk like tha' 'bout someone who's not there ta d'fend 'imself."

The three turned around to look at the man walking towards them. He grinned at them brightly as he pushed his hands into the pockets of skin-tight trousers, a white-coffee colored, muscled torso revealed due to the wind ruffling the unbuttoned blood-red, short sleeved shirt. A ring hanging on a thin black cord danced right over his heart, short, sun kissed hair danced in the breeze, and kind but sharp cinnamon colored eyes were full of excitement and joy.

"Joey, it's good to see you," Atem greeted their last member, and Joey snickered as he rubbed his nose with his right index finger.

"Sorry fer bein' late. Needed ta say buh-bye ta Serenity," he excused himself, and while Malik and Atem nodded in understanding, Bakura tsked and bared his teeth in a shark-like grin.

"She has you whipped," Joey snickered, not even trying to deny it.

"She's my baby sister, Kura! _'Course_ she has me whipped," he drawled and the others laughed. "So!" he clapped Atem's back with his left hand, and the dark-skinned man chuckled. "Everythin' ready?"

"We were just waiting for you," Atem answered and Joey grinned.

"We better be staying at some nice place, _Pharaoh_. The ditch we stayed in last time _still_ gives me nightmares," Bakura grumbled and Atem smirked at him while Malik rolled his eyes and Joey snickered.

"Let's go. We're getting up early tomorrow," Atem said as he turned on his heel and made his way down the shore and towards the city in which lights were slowly turning on as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

Joey followed with a snicker while Malik and Bakura exchanged glances and made their way after them.

The game has begun.

**cut**

"Yugi? Yugi!"

Kind purple eyes snapped into focus and looked into dark blue ones which were a bit too close to him for comfort and he jumped back almost falling out of his chair with a yelp.

"Tea! I didn't see you there!"

The tall girl with chin long, brown hair and quite a curvaceous figure dressed in the uniform of their school huffed as she fisted her hands on her waist and stared down at the short boy in front of her.

Yugi gifted her with a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head with his right hand, ruffling spiky, black, purple tinged hair with blond bangs.

"You've been daydreaming again," Tea stated as she took a seat in the chair behind him, and Yugi let go of the breath he was unconsciously holding before he took a seat again as well, turning around to look at her.

"Well, you know me," he said with a small, shy grin, and Tea tsked and shook her head. "Is something going on?" he asked and her attitude changed completely, making him wonder for the hundredth time since they met how she didn't get a whiplash from the fast mood-swing.

"We're getting four new students!" she cheered happily. "Apparently, they're exchange students from over-seas, and they're gonna be in our class!"

"Tea! Yugi! Good morning!"

The two turned around to face the newcomer, a boy with a round face, shoulder long white hair, and kind, brown colored eyes, who walked over to them to take a seat to Tea's right.

"Ryou! Good morning!" Yugi greeted him while Tea nodded. "How was your weekend?"

"Not bad," the white-haired, pale-skinned teen answered as he placed his book-bag under his table and pulled out a note-book and a pen. "Mom and dad are away on a business trip so I finally had some time for myself."

"Morning, everyone!"

"Tristan!"

The newly arrived tall teen with short brown hair, and a huge grin on his handsome face took a seat behind Bakura, while the other three greeted him.

"I heard we're gettin' some new students!" Tristan crossed his arms on the table and braced himself on them as he leaned forward. "I heard that three of them are brothers and a cousin of theirs."

"_I_ heard that they are all from different continents," Tea countered, and while the two of them started to bicker - as was their morning ritual - Yugi and Ryou exchanged an amused glance before they turned to face the front of the class, sinking into their own thoughts.

Yugi sighed as he rested his chin on his left hand and looked out of the window he was sitting beside. The sun was already quite high, and the sky was blue without a single cloud in sight.

A smile full of melancholy and longing tilted full lips, and he hummed a bit as his eyes gazed at something only he could see.

His right hand was lying loosely fisted on the table, and he was tapping a rhythm against the wooden surface with his index finger.

"Good morning."

Yugi was woken from his musings again and looked up, his smile growing when he saw another one of his friends.

"Daydreaming again?" the voice of the newcomer was low and velvety, and to someone who didn't know him he might have sounded malicious, but Yugi knew this man, and he knew not to take offence.

"Good morning, Seto; did you have a good weekend?" he asked, and the tall, brown-haired teen with harsh, cobalt eyes snorted as he took a seat in the chair to Yugi's right and started taking his note-book and pen out of his book-bag.

"I still stick to what I've always said; if you want something done, you need to do it yourself," Seto bit out and Yugi winced.

"Problems at the company again?" he asked sympathetically, and Seto snorted.

"I'm _surrounded_ by idiots," he grunted and Yugi chuckled as he shook his head.

He and Seto didn't exactly start off well. Until a year or so ago, Yugi was someone Seto would never even _consider_ for a friend, let alone talk to amicably.

Yugi Moto was a gentle soul, and he always avoided conflict, practically running from it.

Seto was more than just Yugi's complete opposite. Being an heir to a great family, he took the reigns of the company upon his step-father's death. He was cold and ruthless, a force to be reckoned with, and he could never understand Yugi who spent his days reading and writing, spending most of his time in dreamland.

Their relationship was strained at best, until one time Seto's younger brother got kidnapped. Yugi witnessed the kidnapping of the 10 year old and immediately called Seto, giving him an exact description of the men who did it and the car with the plates, making it possible for Seto's people to find Mokuba and save him before any harm was brought to the younger boy.

Yugi was more than happy to testify in Seto's and Mokuba's favor, proving to Seto that he wasn't such a coward as the business man thought he was. Their relationship changed since then, and Yugi was thrilled when the taller teen opened up to him.

"Morning!"

They all looked up when the last member of their group joined them, taking a seat to Seto's right before he slumped in his chair, crossed his arms on top of his desk, and buried his head in crossed forearms.

"Sleepy again, Marik?" Tristan teased the platinum blond teen with light brown skin, and amazing eyes which were sometimes light lilac, and other times appeared almost white.

The only thing Tristan received as an answer was something between a groan and a whine as the sleepy teen hit his forehead against the table and covered his head with his hands.

"My family gathered for the weekend! I hadn't had a _wink_ of sleep!" his muffled voice reached them and everyone laughed, while Seto snorted and shook his head, although the right corner of his lips was slightly tilted up in amusement.

Further conversation was hindered by the ringing of the bell, and the rest of their classmates entered the room.

Yugi sighed as he settled comfortably in his seat only to freeze up and for his eyes to open wide when the professor entered followed by four young men he has never seen before.

Right behind the professor was the one who captured all of his attention.

He was a head taller than Yugi, and had almost the same wild hair. The school uniform did nothing to hide his amazing, muscled body, although he was also lean, and he carried himself with confidence, grace, and poise Yugi could only _dream_ of having. Amazing dark violet eyes were slightly obscured by square-shaped, rimless glasses, and dark, sun-kissed skin contrasted sharply with the white shirt of their uniforms. His uniform-jacket was unbuttoned and his shirt wasn't tucked into his trousers, and he carried his book-bag hanging off of the index and middle fingers of his right hand while his left was pushed into the pocket of blue jeans.

The teens standing beside him weren't hard on the eyes either, although he seemed somehow above them in every sense of the word. The first one standing to his left was a few inches taller than him, and he seemed somehow dangerous. Thin lips were tilted in a grin, eyes sharp, and white hair long and spiked in every-which direction, golden eyes filled with mischievousness, and something that set Yugi on edge.

The one standing next to the albino teen was the same height, but he had wider shoulders, and had the air of a scholar around him. Platinum blond tresses was spikier than the albino's, and his skin was just a tad bit lighter than the first teen's, lilac colored eyes taking everything in within seconds.

The last teen was someone Yugi could get along with easily. He stood taller than the others, with the same lithe build as the first one. His uniform looked like he just threw it on haphazardly, blond hair shone like the sun, and thin lips were stretched into a huge, thrilled grin, while cinnamon colored eyes shone with kindness and mischief.

"Attention, please!" their professor called out. "We've received four new students! Please, show them around and help them find their way," she turned to the four young men and nodded at them, and the teen which captured Yugi's attention looked to the left and gave a minute nod, making Yugi raise an eyebrow in wonder.

The blond one took a step forward with a snicker and waved his left hand at everyone while he held his book-bag thrown over his right shoulder carelessly with his right.

"Joey Wheeler, at yer service!" he gave them all a mock-bow, making several young women giggle.

Yugi snickered when he heard Seto snort and the dreamer looked at his tall friend. There was a glimmer in Seto's eyes Yugi has never seen before, and he suppressed another snicker when he realized that Joey managed to catch Seto's attention already.

The albino teen took a step forward seemingly bored and annoyed by everything.

"Bakura Wilson," he spoke in a growling voice, and Yugi felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Malik Sahib; pleased to make your acquaintance."

Yugi glanced at Marik, thinking that there could be some confusion since their names were almost the same, only to focus on the one who captured his attention when he took a step forward, standing tall as though he owned the place.

"Atem Ferrow, at your service," his voice sent a pleasant shiver down Yugi's spine and made warmth settle in his stomach. He gasped when their eyes met, and Yugi's eyes widened when a small smile tilted Atem's lips.

"Takes seats now. We're about to start the lesson," the professor said, and Yugi's heartbeat picked up speed when Atem made his way over to the free seat in front of Yugi while the others spread out over the classroom after Atem gave them a minute nod; one which Yugi didn't catch because he was too stunned by the fact that the handsome teen he was developing a crush on with the speed of light was sitting right in front of him.

The lesson completely blew over Yugi's head because he was too overtaken by trying not to stare at the back of Atem's head. He was fighting down a blush, _knowing_ that Tristan, Ryou and Seto were glancing at him, snickering at his quite out of the ordinary behavior.

He didn't even realize that 45 minutes passed until the bell rang, and he jumped in his seat, realizing that he had no idea what the professor was talking about, noting mournfully that he would have to ask Tea for her notes.

When the professor left the classroom, Atem turned in his chair and offered his right hand to Yugi.

"Pleased to meet you," he spoke in that voice which - Yugi was sure - could make a candle melt without having to light it.

"Yugi," he stuttered out quietly as he accepted Atem's hand, "Yugi Moto." Atem's lips tilted into a small smile and he looked at Yugi over the top rim of his glasses.

"Already makin' yer move, eh!" Yugi looked up and found Joey and the other two walking over to them.

Joey leaned back on Atem's table with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, Malik took a seat in the chair in front of Seto, and Bakura took a seat on the table in front of Malik with arms crossed over his chest and a disdainful frown on handsome features.

"We _are _new here, Joey. Aren't we supposed to make friends?" Atem answered Joey in a calm, leveled tone, and Yugi couldn't help but blush, feeling his heart pang in his chest.

"I'm Tea Gardner!" Yugi barely managed to duck in time to avoid Tea's right hand when she reached over Yugi's head to offer it to Atem. "Welcome to Domino City!"

Atem's eyebrows twitched into a small frown even though he accepted Tea's hand. "Pleasure," he murmured, glancing at Yugi who practically plastered himself to the window in an attempt to move out of Tea's way.

"Tristan!" the teen waved enthusiastically.

"Ryou," the demure teen smiled shyly and ducked his head a bit.

"Marik," the muffled muttering of the name had them all looking at the teen that had already buried his face in his hands and was on his way to falling asleep again.

"Seto Kaiba," the 'ice-prince' of Domino High spoke cuttingly, with eyes focused on Joey and the grin Joey had on his face grew even bigger.

"So ya're the big bad wolf in this place!" Joey spoke cheerfully, and Seto's lips tilted into a smirk. "Heard a lot 'bout ya, bad boy! Nice job handlin' the market fall a year ago," he complimented and Seto snickered.

"So, you aren't a dumb blond after all," he drawled and Joey reared back slapping his right hand over his chest incredulously.

"Did ya 'ear tha', Atem! 'E thought I was a dumb blond!"

"You're acting like one," Bakura bit out and Joey grinned, all traces of the offended act gone, eyes shining with joy.

"Sway 'em 'till ya slay 'em, Kura! Sway 'em 'till ya slay 'em," he drawled teasingly.

"You'll have to excuse Joey. No matter how much we try we just can't keep him on a leash," Malik drawled dryly and everyone looked at him. Even Marik raised his head at the sound of Malik's velvety, deep baritone.

"Maybe you should find a shorter leash," Seto suggested as he slid lower in his chair, legs stretched under the chair occupied by Malik, arms and ankles crossed.

Joey snickered at Seto's words, pushing his hands inside the pockets of his jeans and leaning forward with an almost leering grin. "First ya'd need ta buy a nice collar," he drawled and Seto chuckled darkly.

"Don't tempt me, _Retriever,_" he bit out, and Joey's eyes widened comically, as well as his grin.

"Golden Retrievers are good dogs, Kaiba."

"You're right," Seto sighed and shook his head. "I might have just offended a good breed."

Joey let go of a booming laugh with his head thrown back and his whole body shaking. It all stopped a moment later when he smirked at Seto, eyes darkening. "Careful, Kaiba; every dog bites, no matter tha breed," he spoke through clenched teeth, and heavy silence settled in the group as he and Seto locked into a staring mach.

"Anyway!"

Everyone jumped in their places when Ryou clapped his hands, attracting their attention to himself making him blush and duck his head, "H-How come you guys moved to Domino?"

"Yeah!" Tea called out. "I mean Domino City isn't such a small place, but why _here_ of all places."

"We needed a change of scenery," Atem spoke up, and Yugi shivered.

He has been trying to fade into the background, quietly observing the other teen while the others talked. He listened to Seto's and Joey's bantering without really hearing it, too overtaken by the sun dancing in Atem's hair, dark skin, and amazing eyes which seemed to miss nothing as he watched everyone with apt attention.

Atem's eyes met Yugi's and the demure teen ducked his head with a furious blush, afraid that he has been caught staring.

The bell rang, meaning that Yugi was saved from anything that might have happened, and the others moved back to their seats to take them before the professor walked into the classroom.

Yugi took a deep breath before he exhaled and slumped in his chair.

_Don't get your hopes up, Yugi,_ he thought almost bitterly as sadness entered his eyes and he looked out the window again, _you'll never catch his attention._

**cut**

Yugi laughed quietly for himself as he walked in the back of their group on their way home. Seto took the car and was already gone, and their newly made friends appeared to live in the same direction as Yugi and his friends.

Joey and Tristan were bickering about something with Tea and Bakura joining in. Malik and Marik were walking close to one another, with Marik dragging his feet. He didn't get to sleep much at school. Ryou and Atem were talking about one thing or another, and Yugi bowed his head a bit.

He had been observing Atem the whole day, listening to that soothing, velvety baritone as though each word which flowed off of those thin lips was coming from the very lips of god. Their eyes met several times, and each time Yugi would duck his head and blush.

He was developing a serious crush on the taller teen, and he honestly couldn't help it. Atem seemed like a good guy, despite his aloof behavior. The other three seemed to hold him in high regard, even _Bakura_, despite the albino acting as though he hated the very air Atem breathed.

It was enough for Atem to look at either one of the other three, or simply give a nod of his head in quiet communication, and all three of them would immediately move doing whatever task Atem appointed to them.

It was somewhat funny when Bakura called Atem 'Pharaoh'. Atem explained that Bakura called him that because his last name was Ferrow, and because of his Egyptian descent.

"You seem to be deep in thought."

The voice which Yugi was already coming to appreciate a bit _too_ much woke him up from his musings, and he tripped over his feet, but before he could fall on the hard ground, two strong arms wrapped themselves around his waist and held him up.

Yugi raised his head and his breath hitched in his throat when he came face to face with Atem, and his heart skipped a beat when the taller teen's breath fanned over Yugi's burning cheeks. "Sorry!" he yelped and all but ripped himself out of Atem's strong hold, "I'm such a klutz!" he muttered into his chin as he rubbed the back of his head with his right hand, his left fisted firmly by his thigh.

"It's alright. I startled you."

Yugi looked up when Atem answered warmly and found the taller man smiling down at him, head tilted to the right and eyes shining with kindness. A smile tilted Yugi's lips and he felt himself relax despite the churning in his stomach.

"Yo, Yugi! See you tomorrow, alright?!" Tristan called out and Yugi looked at him, surprised that they were already at the spot where Tristan, Tea and Ryou parted from Yugi every day.

"Don't forget about the test we have tomorrow!" Tea warned as she waved at Yugi, and Ryou copied her action before the three left down a street.

"You two coming? I'm hungry!" Bakura snapped at Atem and Yugi, and while the smaller between the two hurried to catch up with the rest of them, Atem followed at a slower pace.

"If I may ask, what were you thinking about?" Atem asked as he walked to Yugi's right while Marik and Malik walked behind them and Bakura and Joey in front of them, the two continuing their argument from earlier.

"Nothing specific," Yugi muttered as a furious blush covered his cheeks.

"Yugi, I'll be going now," Marik mumbled as he turned around to face the shortest teen in their group.

"Get some rest, alright," Yugi smiled up at Marik, and his smile grew when Marik came over to hug Yugi tightly, nuzzling his cheek against Yugi's - although spiky - soft hair.

Out of everyone in Yugi's group of friends, Marik was the most tactile one. He loved to hug Yugi, often calling him his little brother, and Yugi cared deeply for him.

Sure, he cared a lot about Tristan, Ryou, Seto and Tea, but Yugi and Marik shared a different bond.

After all, they shared the same _not-quite_ problem, but a problem never the less.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Marik mumbled as he kissed Yugi's right cheek and walked away covering a big yawn with his right hand, book-bag hanging from his left.

"We should be taking the next turn right," Malik commented as they continued on their way, Yugi walking in the middle of their group, with Atem to his right, Malik to his left, Bakura behind him and Joey in front of him strutting down the street as though he owned it.

"Yugi, where do you live?" Joey asked as he looked at the short teen over his right shoulder.

"I live two blocks from here," Yugi answered.

"Would you mind if I walked you home?" Atem asked and the teen yelped and almost tripped again.

"There's no need, really!" Yugi cried out as he waved his hands almost frantically, and while Bakura and Malik snorted, and Joey grinned, Atem merely chuckled and shook his head.

"I wanted to take a look around the city. It wouldn't be a bother," Atem said and Yugi's blush worsened.

"I - I - I won't mind," he mumbled into his chin as he bowed his head, trying to hide his blush.

Atem chuckled while the other three exchanged glances before shooting Atem pointed stares.

"Then, by your permission…" Atem left the sentence hanging, and while the other three took a turn to the right, Atem continued walking with Yugi towards the smaller teen's house.

"So," Atem spoke up after a few moments of silence, "your group of friends is quite…" he hesitated and Yugi looked at him from under his ruffled, blond bangs. "They are quite interesting, to say the least."

Yugi laughed lightly and nodded his head, feeling that they found safer themes to talk about. "We are all very different," he agreed and Atem nodded, listening to him with apt attention. "I've known Tea since kindergarten, and we've always been friends. I've met Marik in our junior year, and Ryou moved to Domino City shortly after I met Marik. Tristan joined our group two years ago, and Seto became a friend of mine a little over a year ago. Despite our differences, we're all very much alike. I guess we get along because of that." Atem hummed in agreement. "What about you and the others. I would say that you're an unlikely group of friends."

Atem chuckled and shook his head with fondness written in every line of his handsome face. "To say that we are different is an understatement. Bakura and I rarely see eye to eye, but we respect one another. Malik is his best friend, and Joey?" he chuckled and Yugi felt something pull on his heart, "Joey can get along with just about anyone. He's like that."

Yugi nodded in agreement and sighed, not noticing the way Atem was looking at him. "It's nice though that the four of you stick together. I mean, no one should be alone. Having friends is sometimes more important than anything else."

"I agree," Atem commented and Yugi looked at him with a small smile. With regret he noted that they have reached his house, and he stopped in front of the white picked fence, making Atem stop as well.

"Thank you for walking with me," Yugi said and Atem smiled, bowing his head at Yugi, making the smaller teen's eyes widen a bit.

"It was my pleasure. I will see you tomorrow."

"See you," Yugi called out after him as Atem walked back down the road that led to Yugi's house.

With a suffering sigh, Yugi pushed the door open, and walked the short path to the entrance door. "I'm home!" he called out as he took his shoes off and placed them beside the welcoming mat.

"Hello, Yugi! Who was that charming young man that walked you home?" his grandfather greeted him when he walked into the living room, and Yugi walked over to hug the elderly man.

"He is a new student at our school; Atem Ferrow," he answered as they took a seat on the couch as was their norm. Every day when Yugi would come from school he and his grandfather would take a seat on the couch and talk about what happened that day.

Ever since Yugi's parents died in a car-crash, Solomon Moto - Yugi's grandfather from his mother's side - was Yugi's only guardian. Yugi loved the old man dearly, and was thanking the heavens every day for Solomon's constant support.

"How come he escorted you home?" Solomon asked with a small frown and Yugi sighed with an exasperated roll of his eyes.

"Grandfather, _please-…_"

"Yugi, you know I just worry about you. You will be 18 in a few months, and you know what that means. For…"

"For Bearers like Marik and me, it's dangerous, I know. There are people who will want to take us for themselves, and not many of them are good people," Yugi recited the words he heard at least a thousand times before. "You said yourself that you've talked with Marik's parents about finding someone to protect us, and they said that they were already working on it. We'll be fine, alright?"

Solomon sighed gravely and shook his head. "I just don't want something bad to happen to you, Yugi. You know how much I love you."

Yugi chuckled and pulled his grandfather into a warm hug. "I know, grandpa; I know. And I promise, if I notice anything strange about Atem and his friends, I will tell you immediately. Besides, with Seto, Tristan, Tea and Ryou with me and Marik every day, there is no _way_ anyone would dare to do something."

Solomon chuckled knowing full well that Seto Kaiba practically took it upon himself to make sure Yugi and Marik were safe, and that Tristan, Ryou and Tea watched over the two like hawks.

"Just promise me that you'll be careful," Solomon whispered against Yugi's right ear, and the teen chuckled, tightening his hold on his grandfather.

"I promise, gramps. I promise."

**cut**

It has been three months since Atem, Malik, Bakura and Joey moved into Domino City, and Yugi had to admit that their lives haven't been dull ever since. It was obvious to everyone with eyes that there was something brewing between Joey and Seto, but the two enjoyed bickering almost too much to see beyond the excitement of it and finally get together.

There was a bet going on between the rest of the group that they would either tear one another a new one or sleep together before the end of their schooling.

Malik and Marik had no such problems. Just a month after Malik, Joey, Atem and Bakura moved to Domino, they announced to everyone that they were together, and everyone could see that Malik was good for the perpetually tired teen.

Ryou and Bakura found common ground as well, and Yugi noted with unhidden amusement that Ryou's demure behavior affected Bakura into becoming - well - not exactly _calmer_, but at least he wasn't biting heads off left, right, and center.

As for Yugi, Atem became his quiet suffering. His heart ached with growing affection while he did nothing but watch as Tea hung off of Atem's arm whenever the opportunity allowed her to do so.

Everyone noticed it and no one liked it, because everyone - except Tea and apparently Atem - noticed that the smallest teen among them held Atem dear to his heart. Everyone tried to tell the girl to keep it to a minimum, but she either didn't hear them or she didn't care.

Yugi cared about her a lot. She was his first and oldest friend, but it couldn't be missed that out of all his friends, she seemed to be the one who practically paid no attention to Yugi if it wasn't to chastise him about daydreaming or nag at him for being too quiet or introverted.

Yugi and Joey were becoming closer with each passing day.

As a matter of fact, Joey, Marik and Seto were the only ones who openly talked to Yugi about Tea's more than just open affections for Atem. The three also confronted Yugi - separately of course - about his feelings for the violet-eyed teen.

Despite them trying to convince him to approach Atem, Yugi just smiled and shook his head. In his opinion there was nothing for Atem to like about him. Tea was beautiful even to him. She had more to offer to someone like Atem than Yugi could ever hope to. In his eyes he was neither beautiful nor good enough for Atem, and Yugi resolutely decided to stay just a friend to the dark-skinned man, despite the love growing in his heart and the avid attraction he felt for the first time in his life.

Besides, there were other things he had to worry about.

They were about to celebrate his 18th birthday. Marik celebrated his a week ago, and so far, the only news they had about the protection Marik's parents talked about was that someone was sent and that they were keeping an eye on the situation in Domino City.

While Yugi would have been feeling better if he could actually _meet_ their protectors, he knew that Marik's parents were people of confidence, and he did his best not to be tense or worried.

After all, they would be celebrating his birthday that evening.

It wouldn't do for the birthday boy to be any less festive than everyone else.

**cut**

"Atem? Is there something wrong?"

Said man looked up from his laptop at Malik who was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a frown marring handsome features.

"There has been no movements from the Underground Market," Atem spoke as he quickly clicked a few keys on the keyboard and closed his laptop. "Marik is 18 and Yugi will be turning 18 today. We've been sent here to protect them. I just…" he sighed as he rubbed his face, standing up and walking over to his bed to take a seat. He rested his forearms on his parted knees, entwining his fingers between them. "I have a bad feeling something will soon happen."

Malik sighed as he pushed himself away from the doorframe and walked over to take a seat on the bed to Atem's left. "We're doing everything we can here, Atem," he said, and his friend snorted as he shook his head.

"You and Marik are an item," Atem spoke in a bitter voice. "We're just _waiting_ for Bakura and Ryou to come out as a couple as well, and Joey and Seto are either too oblivious to one another's feelings or they're in heavy denial. We've been sent here to _protect_ them, not fall in love with them."

"Is that why you haven't asked Yugi out yet?" Malik asked after a few moments of silence and Atem snorted.

"Am I that obvious?" he muttered bitterly, and Malik chuckled as he clapped Atem's back with his right hand.

"It wouldn't be more obvious if you tattooed it on your forehead," he stated and Atem huffed.

"We're Special Agents," he stated firmly, and Malik raised an eyebrow at him.

"And we all said that this would be our last mission," Malik reminded his friend who sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"I'm older than him," Atem countered.

"There are couples with much bigger age differences out there," Malik stated, half amused by then.

"He doesn't know who I really am," Atem responded, and Malik's eyebrows touched the line of his hair.

"Good gracious, Atem, just how many excuses do you have? Besides, we haven't been acting any different than who we really are. The only thing they don't know is that we were all street urchins who were picked up by the Special Ops because of our various expertise. Atem, we've been working as Special Agents since all of use were _15 years old_. We have a right to live our lives. We've paid off our dues to society. What is stopping you from telling Yugi that you want to be with him? I know for a _fact_ that you're getting increasingly annoyed with Gardner's more than obvious attempts to get into your pants. Why the hell are you suffering that? You _love_ Yugi! Grow some balls, damn it, and do something about it!"

For a moment Atem stared at Malik incredulously before he burst out into laughter.

When he calmed down he looked at Malik and found him smirking at him. "And what if he doesn't want me?"

Malik rolled his eyes with a snort. "Please, the kid is tripping over himself trying to hide the fact that he's head over heels in love with you," he grinned when he saw a rosy tinge color Atem's cheeks. Malik clapped his back again as he stood up and made his way out of Atem's room. "Just keep in mind that we're probably not leaving Domino City, Atem! And you have a right to be happy!"

Atem chuckled as he stood up and walked over to stand by the window. He crossed his arms as he leaned on the wall and rested his forehead against it.

There was no way for him to deny anything Malik had said.

_Well_, he thought as a smile tilted his lips, _I guess I'll have a confession to make tonight._

**cut**

The party was in full swing. They drank, they played card games, laughed, talked and sang along to the tunes playing on the radio in the back of the living room of the Moto household.

Until now, Atem has successfully avoided Tea's advances, keeping his eyes on the birthday boy the whole evening, finally seeing what Malik told him was there. Yugi truly _did_ feel something for him.

Now the only thing Atem had to do was to catch Yugi alone long enough to ask the younger man if he would be his. Atem was fully prepared to tell Yugi the whole truth. He didn't want to start a relationship with Yugi with lies between them. In his experience, that led to nothing good.

Atem caught his opportunity while Tea was too busy chastising Bakura, Tristan and Joey for drinking too much and Yugi slipped out of the room to get more snacks. Yugi's grandfather went out for the evening so it was just them, and Atem was confident that he and Yugi wouldn't be interrupted for at least 10 minutes which he estimated would be the time frame in which no one would notice the lack of snacks and their missing presence.

He slipped out of the living room and into the kitchen, finding Yugi with his back turned on him as he poured more potato chips in a bowl.

"Are you having fun?" Atem asked and Yugi jumped in his place, potato chips falling all over the table and the floor as he turned around to face Atem with a furious blush, wide eyes and parted lips. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, and Atem couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for always startling Yugi. Even after three months, Yugi still acted skittish around him, but now that Atem knew why he could find a way to change that. "Sorry for startling you" he said and added after a second, "again."

"It's alright," Yugi stuttered as he bowed down to gather the potato chips off of the floor and Atem moved over to help him. His right hand brushed against Yugi's left, and the younger man recoiled, making Atem frown with eyes full of worry and confusion. "Sorry," Yugi whispered as he bowed his head, gathered the rest of the chips, and hurriedly stood up to walk over to the trash can and throw them away.

Before Yugi could move on to the table though, Atem appeared right in front of the younger man and stopped him from moving away by taking a hold of Yugi's arms.

Yugi let go of something resembling a squeak and bowed his head, but Atem could see the tips of Yugi's ears turning red, and Atem's heart danced in his chest.

"Yugi, look at me," he murmured as he raised his hands and cupped Yugi's face, making him raise his head to look into his eyes.

"Atem…"

The older man was entirely too sure that Yugi wasn't aware of the fact that he fisted his hands in the sleeves of Atem's dark blue Henley or that he leaned into his touch, but his breath did catch in his throat when Atem caressed Yugi's cheeks with his thumbs. "Are you afraid of me, Yugi?" he asked warmly, and Yugi's eyes widened.

"No! Why would you…"

"Because you're avoiding being alone with me. For weeks you would run off before I could escort you home. You're avoiding looking into my eyes. You're avoiding addressing me directly. Have I offended you somehow?"

"No!" Yugi cried out as his body started to tremble, and he unconsciously took a small step closer to Atem. "It's just that I - I thought - I mean, Tea…"

"Her advances mean nothing to me, Yugi," Atem cut him of. There was warmth gathering in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't help but wonder how he managed to deny himself Yugi's closeness for the past three months. "I already gave my heart to another."

Yugi's eyes widened even more if possible, and Atem's heart skipped a beat when he saw sadness appear in Yugi's eyes.

"Oh," Yugi whispered as tears gathered on long lashes, only for Yugi to still completely when Atem caressed blushing cheeks with his thumbs, eyes darting from Yugi's lips to his eyes.

"I told myself that I wasn't good for you," Atem muttered, not even aware that he was speaking out loud. "I told myself that you could do _so much better_ than me."

"Atem, what are you…"

"But Malik was right," Atem interrupted Yugi's amazed whisper as he took that one last step closer to Yugi, their lips almost touching. "I _do_ already love you."

Yugi gasped and a shiver wrecked his body, and Atem slipped his hands in Yugi's hair, feeling for the first time the softness of those spiky tresses.

"Would you accept me, Yugi?" Atem whispered, fully prepared to pull back at the slightest sign of discomfort in the 18 year old.

"I love you too," those words rolled off of Yugi's lips, and the last of Atem's restraints snapped.

He didn't intend to lean in to seal his lips over Yugi's. What he wanted to do was sit Yugi down and tell him everything first, but after a few drinks and spending the night encouraging himself to finally confess to Yugi, he let go of all inhibitions and finally granted himself the joy of tasting Yugi's sweet lips for the first time.

It was just a chaste meeting of lips, but when Atem felt Yugi relax against him - when the younger man wrapped his arms around Atem's shoulders and flattened his body against Atem's - the older man said goodbye to all coherent thoughts. His arms slid down to wrap themselves around Yugi's waist, pulling the teen as close to his body as he could, licking the seams of Yugi's lips as he wordlessly asked for permission. Yugi's lips parted and Atem deepened the kiss, making Yugi's knees go week and a moan vibrate between them.

Atem held Yugi close with his left arm wrapped around a thin wais while he raised his right hand to entangle his fingers in Yugi's hair as he tilted the teen's head to the side, humming at the taste of innocence and purity which belonged only to Yugi mixed with the taste of Cherry he's has been drinking and the salty aroma of potato chips.

They parted, both breathing heavily and Yugi looked up in Atem's eyes with both confusion and joy coloring his face and shining in purple orbs.

"Atem…"

"Oh my god!"

The two jumped apart and looked at the doorway where they found Tea standing, looking at them with betrayal and shock.

"Tea…" Yugi whispered and moved forward, but Tea turned on her heel and ran out of the house, "Tea!"

"Yugi!" Atem called out when Yugi ran after her, and moved to follow them only to be stopped in the hallway when the others ran out of the living room.

"What happened?" Seto asked.

"Yugi and Tea ran out," Atem offered as an explanation as he pushed past them and ran out on the street. It was raining heavily, and he could hardly see far. "YUGI!" he called out as he looked around, searching for both him and Tea.

"We need to split up!" Seto shouted as everyone gathered around Atem.

"Seto, Joey; the two of you will take Downtown Avenue! Bakura, Ryou; you two go south! Tristan; you and Malik will run north! Marik, you stay in the house in case Yugi returns! Move out!" Without much prompting, everyone ran off, and once Atem made sure everyone went in their designated directions he took his own.

He ran down the street, not caring about the rain stinging his cheeks like little needles. His heart was beating as though it would beat its way out of his chest, his muscles burned with strain, and he just couldn't fill his lungs with enough air.

"Tea, please…!"

"Yugi…" Atem breathed out and took a turn into an alley when he heard Yugi's frantic voice.

"He was supposed to be mine!" Tea screamed, and Atem halted in his step, his heart stopping when he saw her take a swing with her right hand. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed through the small alley, and Atem felt like a clawed hand dug into his stomach when Yugi hit the ground.

Atem could have sworn that he had heard Yugi's head hit the hard asphalt as though his hearing was amplified by a hundred, and when the young man remained lying on the ground, Atem was sure that he would fall to his knees.

Instead he broke into a run, passing Tea who stood rooted in her place with terror in her whole stance, hands clasped over her lips as she stared wide-eyed at Yugi's still, prone body.

"Yugi!" Atem fell beside Yugi and gently gathered the teen into his arms.

A wound at the line of Yugi's hair was bleeding profoundly, and despite knowing that all head-wounds bleed a lot, Atem's heart was filled with panic, and he found himself lacking breath as he gently cupped the back of Yugi's head with his right hand, cradling him to his drenched body with his left arm wrapped around the small boy.

"Yugi, please…" he whispered in a voice full of fear and worry, "please, wake up." He cupped Yugi's cheek and caressed it with his thumb, urging Yugi quietly to wake up.

"I didn't mean to do it! I didn't mean it! I didn't…" Tea was whimpering behind him, but Atem didn't pay any attention to her, because Yugi gasped and started shivering, eyes fluttering open, dull and unfocused.

"Atem?" he whispered brokenly and Atem felt air rush out of his lungs as relief flooded his body.

"It's alright. You'll be fine. I'm taking you to a hospital right away." He gathered Yugi into his arms cradling him to his chest as the teen groaned and rested his head on Atem's left shoulder, unaware of his blood soaking Atem's already wet clothes.

"Atem, please!" Tea called out as Atem ran past her, but he paid her no heed. The only thing on his mind was to bring Yugi to a hospital as quickly as possible.

He glanced down when Yugi weakly raised his left hand and fisted it in Atem's shirt.

"Stay with me, Yugi. Don't fall asleep."

"Atem…"

"Stay with me," he whispered and Yugi leaned into him. "Stay with me."

**cut**

"Sir, you need to leave."

Atem's head snapped up to glare at the 6th nurse which addressed him since he brought Yugi to the hospital, and the teen was taken from his arms.

He had already informed everyone of what happened, and they were all gathered at Yugi's place, waiting for Atem to tell them it was alright to visit Yugi. He had no intention to leave Yugi's side, and he was tired of nurses and doctors telling him to leave.

He stood up, took a firm hold of the nurse's left arm and pulled her out of Yugi's room, closing the door once they stepped out and letting go of her, none too gently. "Listen to me," he pressed out through his teeth as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, and for the first time since he arrived to Domino City, flashed his badge, making the woman pale and tense up. "I am Special Agent Atem Ferrow, and that boy in that room is my _charge_. I will _not_ leave his side. I will _not_ leave the hospital. I will _not_ suffer _anyone else_ coming into _that_ room if it isn't to check up on Yugi," his voice was low and full of dark promises, and the nurse - Wendy - paled more and more with each word that rolled off of his lips in a threatening whisper. "Tell your colleagues that if I am disturbed _one more time_, I will personally make sure that this hospital is closed within the next week. Am I making myself clear?"

"Y-yes…"

"Am I clear?!" he thundered when she started stuttering, and she yelped and ran off.

Standing there, alone in the hallway, Atem started taking deep, calming breaths. It didn't take long for him to feel guilty about the way he treated the nurse, but adrenalin was pumping through his veins, and the remnants of worry and fear were still keeping him on edge.

He took a deep breath and sighed as he rubbed his face with his hands and brushed them through still wet hair. Clothes were clinging to his body, and he could feel the cold nipping on his skin, but he paid attention to none of it.

"How is he?"

Atem turned on his heel, cursing himself for not hearing anyone approaching him, only to find Seto and Joey walking towards him with Joey carrying a plastic bag in his right hand.

Both of them looked worried, and he felt at least some of the tension leaving his body, feeling better now that two other people were there to keep an eye on Yugi even though the deal was that they should come in the morning.

"Still sleeping," Atem answered once they stopped in front of him, and Joey offered him the bag.

"We thought ya might want a change o' garbs," Joey drawled although Atem could see that both Joey and Seto were worried, although Seto was really good at hiding it behind annoyance and anger.

"What happened?" Seto asked in a low, dangerous tone, and Atem's expression darkened.

"Tea ran out of the house when she saw Yugi and me kissing in the kitchen. Yugi ran after her. I found them just as she slapped him with everything she had. He hit his head against the asphalt. His condition isn't bad, but they are keeping him in the hospital for a night just to be sure."

"You won't be leaving his side." Atem and Joey looked at Seto when he spoke up again with confused countenances. The business man snorted and looked at Yugi's still form through the window. "I know who you are. I know you're here to make sure Marik and Yugi are safe."

Joey and Atem gaped at him. "How d' ya know?!" Joey snapped and Seto raised an eyebrow at Joey.

"Did you think I would allow anyone to approach Yugi without checking their backgrounds? I owe Yugi for saving my brother and being a witness at the trials. I had the four of you investigated a day after you've arrived to Domino City."

Joey chuckled while Atem just shook his head with a smile full of fondness tilting thin lips. "But we kinda messed up, di'n't we?" Joey drawled, glancing at Atem with a knowing expression.

"This is our last mission, Joey," Atem answered, remembering Malik's words. "We have the right to settle down and be happy."

"Will you tell him the truth?" Seto asked, and Atem sighed.

"I intended to tell him everything before asking him to be mine," he admitted before he smirked and glanced at Seto. "But I am afraid I skipped over the confessing part and jumped straight to kissing him."

"Just don't hurt him," Seto warned Atem, and although his tone was light and expression relaxed, Atem heard the hidden meaning behind his words.

"What are we gonna do 'bout Gardner?" Joey asked and Atem frowned, glancing at Yugi's still form.

"Let her be for now. I think she regrets what she did, but I don't feel like facing her right now. I never once gave her a reason to believe I could ever consider her more than a friend. Her own selfishness brought us to this situation."

Silence settled between them as each was drawn into their own thoughts.

"Was there any movement from the Underground Market?" Seto asked to take their minds off of Tea.

"None for now, but they could make their move at any time," Atem answered and Joey nodded.

"I talked with a couple o' me ol' palls. They raided a few places where the Bearers were kept, and are now workin' on findin' tha leaders. With the Organization workin' ta overthrow tha Underground Market, our only job is ta make sure Yug' an' Marik are safe." Atem nodded at Joeys words.

"A lot of our colleagues were sent all around the world to watch over other Bearers. If everything goes as planned, we could close down the market by the end of the year." Seto hummed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you think the Bearers will be safe after that?"

To Seto's surprise both Atem and Joey snorted at his question.

"In my 'pinion, they'll never be safe. There will always be sick bastards out there," Joey drawled cynically.

"Bearers are rare," Atem agreed. "Men who can conceive and carry a child to term are highly prized on the Black Market. Take into consideration that they are - more often than not - beautiful and quite demure by nature, and you are sure to have people ready to pay a lot to have them. Just like Joey said; there will always be sick bastards out there."

Seto hummed and nodded minutely.

At least there will always be someone ready to protect those that cannot protect themselves.

**cut**

Atem sat up straight in the chair beside Yugi's bed when the small teen moaned and his eyes fluttered open. He frowned in confusion as his eyes focused on his surroundings and settled on Atem who was unconsciously holding his breath.

"Atem?" Yugi whispered in a weak voice, cheeks blushing with a fever. It wasn't enough that he had a head injury. He also caught quite a bad cold due to getting soaked after he ran after Tea.

"I'm right here," Atem whispered as he took Yugi's right hand between his bigger, warmer, callused ones, and Yugi glanced around in confusion.

"What happened?" he asked and Atem swallowed difficultly.

"What is the last thing you remember?" he murmured and Yugi frowned before his blush worsened, and he tried to look anywhere but at Atem, looking sheepish.

"I - I remember you kissing me and then - then Tea found us and I ran after her. We argued because she's in love with you and then I…" he squeezed his eyes tightly shut and Atem jumped to his feet, shushing Yugi lovingly, left hand running through Yugi's messy, tresses.

"Take it easy. It's alright. Tea will be dealt with, I promise. What she did was wrong and immature. I've never given her reason to believe that I wanted to be with her. She had no right to hit you." Yugi looked up at Atem with a searching frown, and Atem smiled down at him gently, his eyes - not obscured by reading glasses - gazing at Yugi with warmth and deep affection.

"I didn't think you liked me either," Yugi whispered and Atem swallowed difficultly as he took a seat on the bed, placing Yugi's right hand on his right thigh and covering it with his hands.

"I have to apologize for not paying as much attention to you as I wanted to, and you deserved." Yugi froze at Atem's words as the taller man took a deep breath and looked in Yugi's eyes. "I've believed that you could do much better than me, and had Malik not talked to me on the day of your birthday, I am afraid I wouldn't have made my move."

"But why?" Yugi asked, and Atem could feel how much Yugi was trembling.

"One of the reasons I couldn't find the courage to ask you to be with me is because I - you don't know the truth about who I am." A frown marred Yugi's beautiful features and Atem took a deep breath. "I am a Special Agent working for an Organization which is fighting against the Underground Marked which hunts and trades Bearers from all Continents. We - Bakura, Malik, Joey and I have been sent here to protect you and Marik after his parents contacted the Organization concerning your safety. I won't tell you about the others, because their lives are their stories to tell, but as for me, I was picked up off of the streets by the Organization 8 years ago, chosen because of my skills in breaking and entering, theft, and hacking to become an agent specializing in infiltration. You and Marik were supposed to be our last mission, because the others and I were under contract to work for the Organization until we repaid our debts to society."

Somewhere along the story, Atem focused his eyes on their joined hands, unable to see the betrayal, horror, and rejection he firmly believed he would find in Yugi's eyes.

"I didn't want to approach you with my feelings until you knew that. My name _is_ Atem Ferrow, but I am actually 24 years old. On your birthday, Malik talked to me and told me that I deserved to be happy. He figured out that I fell in love with you and that I was stopping myself from confessing to you because I believed - I _still_ believe that I am not good enough for you. For 2 months I've been trying as hard as I could to keep my feelings hidden from you, and I - I only hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me for lying to you. I will understand if you don't want to have anything to do with…" Atem was cut of by Yugi surging forward and sealing their lips together.

The teen's left hand fisted on Atem's chest, and the older man couldn't help but raise his hands to cup Yugi's face as he deepened the kiss. Atem could hear his heartbeat in his ears, finally letting go of the breath his was holding, and his whole body sagged in relief when Yugi leaned into his touch.

"You were afraid that I wouldn't want you because of that?" Yugi whispered, and Atem couldn't help but laugh breathlessly at Yugi's tone. He sounded as though he was truly amazed that Atem would think that, and the older man actually felt silly for doubting Yugi, even though he knew in the back of his mind that his doubts were well founded.

"Can you blame me?" he asked in a strained voice, "You are young and innocent and I - you have no idea of everything I did before I-…"

"You have been working on saving lives, Atem. Whatever you did and for whatever reason, you are a good man, and I would love nothing else but to be yours," Yugi murmured lovingly and Atem swallowed difficultly. "All this time I've thought that you weren't even noticing me because I'm not - I'm nothing special." The teen gifted Atem with a strained smile, eyes closed to hide the tears which threatened to fall, and Atem's heart clenched.

Yugi shivered when Atem caressed pale cheeks with his thumbs and pulled Yugi into a loving kiss.

"You're _everything_ special, Yugi," he whispered against Yugi's lips, resting his forehead on Yugi's as Atem's hand gently wrapped around the teen's neck, thumbs lightly caressing Yugi's sharp chin.

**cut**

_You've got the words to change a nation,  
>but you're biting your tongue.<br>You've spent a lifetime stuck in silence  
>afraid you'll say something wrong.<br>If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?  
>So come on, come on.<em>

**cut**

Atem nuzzled his nose against Yugi's before he moved back to look into the teen's eyes.

"You're stronger than you know, and in ways not many people are strong. You'll fight against injustice, but you'll avoid conflict. You're brave, and beautiful both inside and out, intelligent and funny, and cute, and…" Atem laughed lightly when Yugi bowed his head trying to hide a furious blush. "You're kind and forgiving, and you always put other people before yourself. We've spent almost every day together for the past three months, Yugi, and I've seen you. I've seen your heart. And it hurts me when you walk behind our group."

**cut**

_You've got a heart as loud as lion's  
>so why let your voice be tamed?<br>Baby, we're a little different,  
>there's no need to be ashamed.<br>You've got the light to fight the shadows  
>so stop hiding it away.<br>Come on. Come on._

**cut**

"It hurts me when you keep silent and hold back. It hurts me when you allow Tea to put you down and chastise you because you're just being yourself. I was happy when you let us - when you let _me_ close, but watching you every day as you slip off into a world where I can't follow…" Atem swallowed and licked his lips as he looked deep in Yugi's eyes, "I never once thought that I had a chance to be with you."

"But _why_?" Yugi whispered, "You are a good man, and you came here to protect me. If _anyone_ should think that they aren't good enough it should be-…"

"No," Atem cut Yugi off and shook his head fervently. "You are too good for me. Yugi, I am an Orphan who lived on the streets, who learned to steal to survive. I learned to read and write just to be able to hack into banks and systems to steal money. You're - compared to me, you're like an angel; a light which should have nothing to do with someone as stained as me."

"Atem-…"

"But…" Atem rested his forehead on Yugi's, careful of the wound, and took a deep, wavering breath. "But somewhere in my heart I hope that - that with your light, I could become a good man."

"You already _are_ a good man," Yugi murmured and Atem looked into warm violet eyes.

Yugi raised his hands, careful of the infusion sticking out of his left hand, and cupped Atem's cheeks within them. He caressed high cheekbones with his thumbs as he gazed into Atem's eyes with love and kindness shining from his own.

"You're not afraid of me?" the older man questioned quietly and Yugi laughed breathlessly.

"How can I be afraid of you when you are here to protect me?" he whispered lovingly, and Atem gulped.

"You're a Bearer," his voice was raspy with restraint as every piece of Atem's body was going against the small voice in the back of his head telling him to make Yugi give up on him, because he truly, honestly believed that he wasn't good enough for him. "You should - You should find someone who will be able to protect you, and cherish you-…"

"Do you not?" Yugi interrupted him. "Aren't you the one who protects me? Don't you cherish me?"

"I do," Atem pressed out as he tilted his head to the right to lay a kiss in the middle of Yugi's left palm, before he nuzzled his cheek against it. "You have no idea how much." He shivered when Yugi leaned in and kissed him chastely, sighing in content when Atem instinctively placed his hands on Yugi's thin waist.

"You're the only one I'll ever feel safe with,." Yugi whispered against Atem's lips, and the older man let go of a sharp gust of air as he pulled Yugi lovingly into his arms. His whole body trembled when Yugi buried his face in Atem's shoulder and hummed contently.

And in that moment, Atem truly felt as though he redeemed himself not only in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes of whatever higher power there was.

**cut**

_I wanna sing.  
>I wanna shout.<br>I wanna scream till the words dry out.  
>So put it in all of the papers<br>- I'm not afraid.  
>They can read all about it.<em>

**cut**

Unknown to the two love birds, Tea was standing behind the door, listening in to every word exchanged between them.

She was about to turn around and leave only to come face to face with Joey, Malik, Ryou and Marik, who were staring at her with heavy frowns and wary stances.

"What are you doing here, Tea?" Marik asked as he took a step towards her, but when Malik placed his right hand on Marik's shoulder, the younger glanced back at the agent, stopping any further advance.

"I came to apologize," Tea spoke weakly and bowed her head.

"It's a bit late for that. You landed Yugi in a hospital because of your jealousy," Ryou accused her, and Tea winced.

"I didn't mean to-…"

"Please, Tea," Marik cut her off and she looked at him with wide eyes. "You're always high and mighty when it comes to Yugi. You always chastise him, and indirectly belittle him, and you never let him have a moment of peace. You're his oldest friend. You should have been his greatest support, but ever since he confined to all of us a year ago that he was a Bearer, you started to put him down every chance you had. Even though you've known him for longer than any of us, I'm _sure_ that the reason behind Yugi being so quiet and introverted is because you've always pushed yourself in front of him."

"We've all seen that he has fallen in love with Atem." Ryou took over for Marik, and Tea winced. "You should have known better than us that Yugi truly fell in love, and you continued to chase after Atem despite just being attracted to him. Yugi _loves_ him, and we know Atem loves Yugi as well. We could see it. Why couldn't you?"

"Because Yugi always gets everything!" Tea cried out and the four young men all but flinched back, "Everyone loves him from the moment they meet him! You wouldn't even be friends with me if I wasn't his friend! I've known him for longer, and yet he confined to all of you before he even _thought_ about confiding in me! Just _once_ I wanted to have something first! Just _once_ I wanted someone to love _me_ before loving_ him_!"

"Well, now you've lost it all," Marik bit out harshly and Tea gasped, looking at him with eyes wide with horror. "Yugi will probably forgive you, because that's just how he is, and he cares too much about you to forget about you. But mark my words; if you _ever_ hurt him again I will _personally_ make sure your body's never found." At his words, tears filled Tea's eyes and she ran away, not looking back.

"Wow, Marik," the teen looked up at Malik when he draped his right arm over Marik's shoulders, and pulled him to his side. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Yeah, man!" Joey grinned while Ryou chuckled, "Ya put 'er in 'er place like a _boss_!"

Marik blushed as he bowed his head and raised his right hand to scratch the tip of his nose with his index finger.

"I just spoke my mind," he mumbled into his chin, and blushed when Malik leaned in and pecked the left corner of his lips.

"You should speak your mind more often. It's _hot,_" he murmured in Malik's ear and the teen shivered while the other two laughed at them.

"Let's go an' see Yug, now!" Joey cheered, and the four entered the teen's room, their hearts filling with joy when they found Atem sitting against the headboard of Yugi's bed with the teen settled against his side, head resting on Atem's shoulder.

Malik and Joey exchanged a glance, and shared a smirk.

It appeared that everything was alright for now.

**cut**

Yugi hummed happily and stretched his arms as they walked out of the school on their last day. The Seniors were saying good bye to High school, and there was joy in the air, and the small group of friends decided to go straight to the beach to celebrate the beginning of a new part of their lives.

The teen giggled when he felt a strong arm wrap itself around his waist, and he looked up at Atem to find him smiling, carrying both of their book-bags casually thrown over his right shoulder with his right hand.

"You seem happy," Atem commented and Yugi snickered before he moved closer to Atem, allowing the cheerful chatter of his friends to wash over him as they made their way to the bus-stop.

"Why shouldn't I be? We're done with High School and I'll be taking my grandpa's place in the workshop so he can finally retire. There have been no threats to Marik and me, and you guys have been keeping an eye over us, so I know we're safe. Sure, Joey and Seto are _still_ dancing around one another, while Malik and Marik, and Bakura and Ryou _could_ keep it down a bit…" Atem chuckled and shook his head while Yugi all but giggled, "but I have no reason to be concerned or worried."

Atem nodded in agreement and tightened his hold on Yugi's waist.

Sure, Yugi was right. Ever since he got out of the hospital there have been no problems. Tea ignored them on the hallways, and while it hurt Yugi's feelings, with a bit of prompting from his friends, he simply decided to give her time. If she ever gathered enough courage to approach him then she would. While he missed his childhood friend, those that were around him helped him open up greatly.

He laughed more openly, he spoke his mind, and he stopped daydreaming as much as he did before, although he was still prone to wandering off in thoughts when he thought no one was paying attention.

Since the teens found out about Atem, Joey, Bakura and Malik while Yugi was in the hospital, their friendship grew even more, and they became a close-knit group with the adults definitely deciding to stay in Domino City with their chosen loved ones.

But all was not as sunny as Yugi thought it was, and it brought a frown on Atem's face; once he thought Yugi wouldn't notice.

Just a week ago, they were told by their superiors to keep a closer eye on their charges. Movement has been noticed in the Underground Market, and the leaders managed to escape the last raid although they lost most of the Bearers they held captive.

Atem, Bakura, Malik and Joey were constantly on guard, and while they tried to act normal so the teens wouldn't notice it, they _did_, although they chose not to comment on it, deciding to go along with whatever the agents told them to do in an attempt to keep their jobs as easy as possible.

It wasn't hard though. Malik and Marik were practically joined at the hip, and Atem was spending a lot of time with Yugi when they weren't in school, with Solomon's blessing of course. Joey, Seto, Bakura, Ryou, Malik, Marik and Tristan were by now a common sight to see in Yugi's living room at least every other day, and even though Seto signed up for Domino College of Economics, Marik was aiming to work in a Kindergarten and Ryou wanted to be a Doctor, they were all working together on staying close, even after Yugi and Marik wouldn't have to worry about anything again.

"Yugi, may I talk to you?"

They were all broken from their respective thoughts, and heavy silence settled between them when a hesitant, familiar voice spoke from behind them. They turned around almost as one to look at Tea and found her standing there with her head bowed and her hands clasped around the handle of her book-bag in front of her.

Everyone looked at Yugi when the shortest among them slowly slipped out of Atem's hold and walked between them to face Tea without saying a word to anyone. Her head snapped up and she froze in her place when Yugi looked up at her with a calm expression, but his eyes told her that he was reserved towards her.

She has never seen his eyes look at her like that. She has never seen him regard her as nothing more than an acquaintance. It ripped something inside her to shreds and her eyes filled with tears when she realized that her jealousy has well and truly cost her a good and honest friend.

"I just - I just wanted to…"

"Apologize?" Yugi finished for her in a calm, almost _cold_ tone, "Apology accepted. Anything else?" even the others were surprised by how calm he was, and Tea swallowed difficultly as she shifted her gaze from his eyes for a moment.

"There is really nothing I can do to make you forgive me?" she asked weakly and Yugi shook his head.

"Not after I realized what you were doing to me for the past two years. You pushed me down and abused me with your words because you were jealous of me, when you knew that all I ever really wanted was people to accept me the way I was - the way I _am_. You slowly made me believe that I didn't have the right to speak up, that I would always need you to stand up for me. I don't. I didn't need you before and I don't need you now, because now I have friends that will let me speak my own mind and actually listen to me, and who accept me in every way, shape and form. I hope you learned something from this, Tea. Good bye."

"Yugi!"

He turned his back on her and walked back to Atem's side, the others following after them without even glancing at Tea.

She ended up truly alone, just because of her jealousy.

**cut**

Atem hissed when out of no where, Yugi appeared and shook his head above him, making hundreds of droplets of cold ocean water rain down on Atem, nipping on sun-kissed skin. "Get over here!" he snapped as he jumped up and ran after Yugi who was laughing merrily as he ran away from Atem, the laughing of their friends following them from nearby.

"Atem, don't!" Yugi cried out when Atem caught him and threw the teen over his shoulder effortlessly, and no matter how much Yugi struggled, he couldn't get out of Atem's hold as the older man carried him over to the ocean.

Yugi yelped when Atem flipped him over into his arms and looked up at Atem's smirking face with wide eyes.

"No!"

"Take a deep breath!" was the only warning Yugi received before Atem threw him into the cold water.

When Yugi resurfaced he didn't have much time to chastise Atem, because Joey tacked him out of no where and both dove under, and all of a sudden everyone else joined in, and it turned into a battle in the water with everyone splashing around and tackling one another.

Mokuba - Seto's younger brother - was cheering on them from his place on the shore, sitting beside Serenity - Joey's younger sister who came to Domino City a few days earlier. There was already something brewing between her and Tristan if the love struck expression which seemed to have permanently plastered itself on Tristan's face was any indication.

They all came out of the water laughing and shaking droplets out of their hair, collapsing on the blankets they placed on the sandy shore when they came to the beach.

"This is tha best day _ever_!" Joey cheered and caught a can of beer Bakura tossed to him, grinning when he felt that it was cold since they brought a portable mini-fridge with them.

"We should do this more often,." Ryou agreed as he accepted a can of soda from his boyfriend, passing another can of beer to Malik who already had Marik snuggled against his side and dozing off. He was _still_ perpetually sleepy, to the group's utter amusement and joy, but judging by the love-bites he wasn't even trying to hide, it was for a whole new set of reasons.

Seeing him and Malik, Bakura and Ryou, and even Seto and Joey, even though the two _still_ refused to admit that they are meant for one another and only enjoyed bantering and bickering, Yugi just couldn't help but feel like he and Atem were at a standstill.

He looked at his boyfriend and a smile tugged on his lips when he found Atem talking lively with Serenity and Mokuba. The 11 year old took to Atem on their first meeting, and Yugi's heart would fill with warmth when he'd see warmth shining in Atem's eyes when he'd be with the youngest member of their group.

Several times since he got out of the hospital, Yugi and Atem would take walks through the city. He could see a desire and wistfulness appear in Atem's eyes whenever they'd run into a family with children, and Yugi knew that Atem would be a great father one day.

Their eyes met and Atem tilted his head to the side with a confused little scowl on his face which made him look all too cute for a man of 24 years. Yugi snickered and leaned over to peck Atem's nose.

"Cute," he giggled and Atem's eyebrows disappeared under his blonde fringe. But before he could comment on Yugi's compliment, thunder clashed in the sky and a heavy downpour started.

They laughed as they quickly gathered their things, not even bothering to get dressed, and ran to the closest café on the beach, quickly running under the roof stretching over the terrace built over the ocean.

They quickly dried themselves and dressed, and Seto took his phone to call his drivers to come and pick them up.

"This is a shame." Ryou commented as they took seats on the terrace and a waitress took their orders for drinks while they waited from their ride back home. "I heard nothing about a downpour in the forecast."

"It happens this time of year." Yugi answered and leaned into Atem's side sighing in content when the older man draped his left arm around Yugi. "We can go to the beach again tomorrow. We have the whole summer to enjoy ourselves."

"Yug's right!" Joey grinned, "We can go tomorrow! We could even 'ave a pick-nick 'ere!"

"That's a great idea!" Mokuba and Serenity cheered.

"Every dog has its day." Seto drawled teasingly and another bout of bickering broke between him and Joey.

Atem looked at Yugi when the teen buried his face in Atem's shoulder to muffle his laughter. He chuckled when Yugi raised his head and looked into his eyes. Time seemed to slow down as Atem leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss to Yugi's forehead, making the smaller man press closer to Atem, his left hand fisting on Atem's chest.

When Atem moved back Yugi raised his head and pecked the corner of Atem's lips, and nuzzled his nose against Atem's, sighing contently when Atem lowered his arm from around Yugi's shoulders and to his waist, placing his big, warm hand on Yugi's left hip.

They shared a smile before Yugi rested his head on Atem's shoulder again and both looked at their friends. Their little moment seemed to have passed unnoticed by them, because they were all laughing at Seto and Joey who were locked in what appeared to be quite a vivid, name-calling contest.

Atem rested his head on Yugi's, and the teen's hand fisted in his shirt.

Yugi's eyes closed as warmth gathered in his stomach, the feel of Atem's big, warm hand on his hip sending pleasant shivers all over his body and making something in his stomach coil.

And deep in Yugi's heart he made a decision.

He would give his all to Atem.

**cut**

"Would you like to come in?"

Atem looked down at Yugi when the teen whispered the question. They were standing in front of Yugi's house, and night was slowly falling. Since the rain stopped they asked Seto to let them get out of the car in the center of the city, and they walked to Yugi's house, enjoying the comfortable silence which settled between them, full of quiet contemplation and soothing companionship.

"I'd love to," Atem answered and Yugi looked up at him with a happy smile.

They got into the house and made their way into the kitchen. Yugi's grandfather was on a business trip so the house was empty sans them, and while Yugi moved to make coffee for them, Atem took a package of cookies from a cupboard and placed them on a plate.

Comfortable silence reigned over them as Yugi poured coffee with milk and sugar into two big mugs, and they made their way to Yugi's bedroom.

"Should I put a movie on?" Yugi asked, suddenly very aware of the fact that he and Atem were very much alone.

"Come here." Atem told Yugi as he took a seat on the bed and moved back until he could rest back against the wall.

Yugi blushed as he kneeled on the bed and crawled over to Atem. He looked as though he was trying to decide where to sit, and Atem chuckled as he leaned forward, took Yugi's hands into his, and gently tugged on them until Yugi's was straddling his lap.

"What's wrong?" Atem asked when Yugi settled on his thighs, and Atem placed his hands on Yugi's hips while the teen shyly placed his on Atem's chest and slid them up to strong shoulders.

Atem suppressed a shiver and swallowed a groan when Yugi flattened against him as he wrapped his arms around Atem's neck, unintentionally rolling his hips and putting pressure on Atem's hardening length. Atem wrapped his arms around Yugi and buried his nose in Yugi's neck, breathing in his natural scent as Yugi hid his face in Atem's left shoulder.

"What it is?" the older man whispered in the tender skin of Yugi's neck, making the teen shiver openly, and Atem squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

Yugi moved his head back to look up at Atem, and the older man stilled completely when he saw Yugi's eyes dart to his lips and back to his eyes. In the next moment Yugi leaned in, and when his lips covered Atem's the Agent felt like a surge of electricity passed over his body.

He raised his right hand and cupped the back of Yugi's head, entangling his fingers in the soft tresses as he tilted Yugi's head to the side to deepen the kiss. Yugi sighed into Atem's mouth as he moved back and slid his hands down to Atem's strong, muscled chest, and Atem slipped his left hand down to Yugi's right thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Do you love me?" Yugi whispered as he rested his forehead on Atem's, nuzzling his nose against his, his eyes slipping closed when Atem started to scrap the back of Yugi's head with blunt nails.

"I do. You know I do," he murmured against Yugi's lips, and the teen shivered. "I love you, and I want you more than you could possibly ever know."

Yugi breathed out sharply as he leaned in for another kiss, this time entangling his small hands in Atem's hair, pulling him in deeper than ever before, pouring every bit of passion and desire he felt in his heart into the kiss.

He gasped when he suddenly found himself on his back, and Atem looked down at him with an apology already prepared on his lips and ready to all but run away.

"Wait!" Yugi fisted his hands in the collar of Atem's button up shirt, stopping him from moving away, and Atem swallowed difficultly as he loomed over Yugi's small form. "I love you too, and I - I want you too."

"Yugi, you've never-…"

"Yes," Yugi interrupted him and let go of Atem's shirt to cup the older man's face with trembling hands. "I was never with anyone. I want you to be my first and my only. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to be there when you quit being a Special Agent. I want you to help me run the shop and - and I want to have children with you."

Atem stared in Yugi's eyes, his own full of shock, hope, love, adoration, need, want, desire, and so much more. Yugi's lips tilted into a small smile and he moved up to peck Atem's lips.

"I want to have you with me forever."

Atem let go of the breath he was unconsciously holding as he slowly settled between Yugi's parted legs and sealed his lips over Yugi's as he framed the teen's head with his forearms, bracing his weight on them as not to crush the smaller man.

Atem groaned and huffed when he felt Yugi's hardening cock rub against his own already rock hard length through layers of clothing. He moved back to brace his weight on his knees before he took a gentle hold of Yugi's wrists.

A heavy blush covered Yugi's cheeks as Atem first laid a loving kiss on his right palm and then on the left, before he rested Yugi's lightly fisted hands on either sides of the teen's head. Yugi watched with darkening eyes as Atem slowly unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off of strong shoulders. A shiver shook his body when Atem's torso was revealed to hungry eyes, all dark skin stretched over taunt muscles.

As though asking for permission, Atem looked in Yugi's eyes, and when the teen nodded minutely, Atem slipped his hands under Yugi's shirt and slowly pushed it up, leaning down to lay an open-mouthed kiss on Yugi's stomach before he moved back, and Yugi sat up shortly and raised his arms so Atem could tug his shirt off of him.

It joined Atem's shirt on the floor, and Yugi lied back down while Atem leaned over him. The teen had to try hard as not to try and cover himself as Atem's eyes all but devoured his thin, lean body. Yugi gasped and twitched up, his eyes slipping closed when Atem licked his left nipple, all the while teasing his right with nimble fingers.

Unable to stop himself, Yugi entangled his fingers in Atem's hair, holding him close to his chest as Atem teased his nipples to hardness with lips and fingers, sending wave after wave of warm, soothing pleasure over Yugi's small body, erasing all thoughts of what they were doing and replacing them with nothing but pleasure.

Atem chuckled as he started kissing down Yugi's stomach, placing his hands on Yugi's sides and sliding them up until he made Yugi let go of his hair so he could push Yugi's arms up, making Yugi rest them above his head. He trailed his hands down Yugi's shoulders and chest, flicking pebbled nipples with his thumbs as he kissed the tender skin of Yugi's stomach just above the waistband of his shorts.

He glanced up when his hands reached Yugi's hips and the teen nodded, gazing down at Atem with dilated eyes and a heavy, deep blush coloring his cheeks, neck and top of his chest. Letting go of the breath he was unconsciously holding, Atem tucked his fingers under the waistband of Yugi's shorts and slowly tugged them down, giving Yugi time to decide if he wanted Atem to continue or stop.

When he heard Yugi hum and the teen raised his hips slightly to help Atem, the older man swallowed and breathed out waveringly, slowly moving back, baring Yugi to his eyes completely. Atem threw the shorts to the side and sat back on his legs with his heart beating quicker than ever in his life, and something he never felt before coiling in the pit of his stomach.

Atem was already achingly hard, and every muscle in his body was tightly coiled, but at the same time he was apprehensive and calm. It was a strange sensation, one he was quite unfamiliar with, but when he looked down at Yugi, his knees bent and parted invitingly, his hard cock resting against his stomach, his hands loosely fisted on either sides of his head and eyes gazing up at Atem, dilated and full of desire, passion and trust, Atem knew that he found his reason for living; the reward for everything he suffered in life.

He placed the tips of his fingers on Yugi's knees and trailed them down pale thighs, his guts twisting every time Yugi's muscles would twitch under his fingers. He settled between Yugi's legs as he slipped his arms under Yugi's thighs, and glanced up at him just as he kissed the bottom of Yugi's cock and licked up, his moan matching Yugi's as the teen's eyes slipped closed and he tilted his head back, his hands fisting in the pillow his head was resting on.

As he took the head of Yugi's cock into his mouth Atem reached under the teen and traced his entrance, moaning when he felt the natural juices all Bearers produced. His moan sent vibrations down Yugi's cock as Atem swallowed around him, circling his entrance with his right index finger but not pushing it in.

"A- Atem!" the older man moaned as he sucked on the head of Yugi's cock, opening his eyes to look up when he felt a small, trembling hand fist in his hair. Yugi's left hand was wrapped around a bar in the headboard of his bed, his head was thrown back and his lips were parted as he struggled to breathe over the overwhelming pleasure.

Atem allowed Yugi's cock to slip out of his mouth and he crawled over the teen, sealing his lips over Yugi's in a deep kiss. "Turn around. It'll be easier for you," he murmured as he nudged Yugi's small, button nose with his, and Yugi nodded hurriedly as Atem moved back to give him space to turn around. He looked around and grabbed a small pillow placing it under Yugi's hips, and the teen moaned and buried his face in his pillow both to hide a blush and to muffle the moans rolling off of his lips.

Atem licked his lips and swallowed as he nudged Yugi's legs more open, his heart dancing in his chest when Yugi hiccupped but parted his thighs, arching his torso into the bed when Atem kissed the small of his back, tasting the skin still salty from their bath in the ocean. He traced the cleft of Yugi's ass with the tips of the fingers, mouth watering as he parted Yugi's ass-cheeks and saw his tight entrance wet witch excitement and desire. "Relax. I won't hurt you," he murmured against Yugi's back as he tracked his entrance with his right index finger, and slowly - ever so slowly - pushed it in, squeezing his eyes tightly shut when Yugi moaned and his hips twitched back.

He kneeled behind Yugi, soothingly rubbing his back with his left hand as he pushed his finger all the way in, gasping when he brushed against the proof of Yugi's innocence with the tip of his finger.

"Damn it…" he hissed as he bowed over Yugi to litter soothing kisses over the teen's shoulders and neck, thrusting his finger in and out, slowly rotating it inside Yugi with each thrust.

Yugi tilted his head to the side as he tucked his hands under the pillow, and buried his right cheek in it, gasping for air as his whole body trembled. Atem was leaning over him, his comforting, reassuring warmth enveloping Yugi completely. The older man bowed down to peck the left corner of Yugi's parted lips just as he pushed another finger in, making Yugi moan and arch up again.

"Yugi…" Atem murmured, resting his forehead on Yugi's head as he braced his weight on his left forearm, fisting his hand as though he was holding himself back. His eyes snapped open and he looked down to see that Yugi pulled his left hand from under his pillow and tucked it within Atem's, entwining their fingers together before he pulled them to his lips and kissed Atem's knuckles.

Yugi pressed their joined hands to his lips as he moaned and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, and Atem gulped as he rested his forehead between Yugi's shoulder-blades. "A-Atem please!" he whimpered as Atem added another finger with a grunt, feeling Yugi's wet heat tighten around him as he moved back on Atem's fingers, moans and whimpers of pleasure escaping him over their joined hands. "Atem, I need you, just…" Atem pulled his fingers out of Yugi only to halt when realization stroke him.

"Damn it, I don't have…" he was interrupted by Yugi moving up, letting go of Atem's hand and pulling the older man into a deep, frantic kiss, fisting his hands in Atem's hair as though he would never let him go.

"Do you - do you want to stay with me forever?"

"Yes," Atem breathed out between kisses and gulps of air, fighting against the urge to lay Yugi down and fuck him into the mattress. He deserved better. He deserved so much better. "I want you - all of you."

"Then we don't need anything."

"But what if you…" his words died on his lips and his breath hitched in his lungs when Yugi slipped his hands out of Atem's hair and cupped his cheeks lovingly.

"I would love it."

Atem breathed out at the honest happiness and want in Yugi's eyes, and every single thought left his mind.

Yugi pulled him down as he lied on his back, cradling Atem's hips between his thighs and arching his hips up, hiccupping when he felt the head of Atem's hard length against his wet entrance. "Make love to me, Atem," he murmured as Atem framed his head between his forearms and Yugi reached between them with his left hand, his right fisted in Atem's hair.

Atem hissed and his hips twitched when Yugi slowly took a hold of his aching cock, and Atem focused on Yugi's face - the shy blush and the way he worried his bottom lip between his teeth - as the teen led Atem's cock to his entrance.

Atem grunted and buried his face in Yugi's neck as he slowly pushed into the tight, wet heat, and Yugi's let go of Atem's hard member to wrap his arms around his lover's shoulders, digging his nails into the firm muscles of Atem's back.

"Relax, I'm here. I'm here. Just-…"

"Atem!" Yugi gasped as the older man stilled, raising his head to look down at Yugi. He sealed his lips over Yugi's knowing there was no other way around this, and swallowed the short scream of pain Yugi let go of when Atem snapped his hips forward, breaking the thin hymn.

He littered soothing kisses all over Yugi's face, kissing closed eyes and licking lightly at the tears which escaped them. He took Yugi's bottom lip between his teeth and moaned when Yugi relaxed around him moving up to kiss Atem lovingly. He slid his hands up to cup Atem's neck, entwining his fingers in the short hairs on the line of Atem's hair.

"You alright?" Atem murmured as he nuzzled his nose against Yugi's and the teen breathed out as he nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm alright. I'm great," he whispered as his lips tilted into a smile, and Atem groaned as he buried his face in Yugi's neck. "Move," he encouraged. "You can move."

Ever so slowly, Atem pulled out until only the head of his cock was inside Yugi, pushing back just as slowly and changing direction with each thrust.

When Yugi shivered and gasped, Atem knew that he found what he was looking for, and pressed inside his lover grunting when he felt Yugi's nails dig into his back as the teen's legs fell open a bit more, giving Atem more room to move.

He kept the pace slow making sure to hit Yugi's pleasure spot with each thrust, shivering under strain and huge pleasure as the teen held on to him as though Atem was his lifeline.

"Atem, I need - I need-…"

"What, Yugi?" he whispered as he pecked Yugi's lips and cheeks. "Tell me what you need."

"Faster. I need you to - _god!_" Yugi cried out and arched his hips up when Atem thrust into him harder and faster than before.

Atem moved back to sit on his legs as he took a firm hold of Yugi's hips. Yugi's hands fisted around the bars of his bed as he hooked his ankles on the small of Atem's back, allowing the older man to manipulate his body to bring them both pleasure.

Only their grunts, moans and gasps, and the sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room, and when Atem felt Yugi constrict around him, he took a hold of the teen's cock with his right hand, pumping it in time with his thrusts.

Yugi choked out his name as his member twitched within Atem's hold, and he clamped down on his lover's hard length as his orgasm was ripped out of him.

Atem managed another few thrusts before he couldn't hold back anymore, and he came inside Yugi, collapsing over him, managing to catch himself on his hands in the last moment, only to have the teen pull him to his chest as his body was wrecked with shivers.

Yugi winced when Atem pulled out of him, and his lover kissed him soothingly as he rolled to his side and pulled Yugi into his arms to rest against his chest.

"Are you alright?" he murmured against Yugi's forehead as the teen entwined their legs together.

"Feels sticky," Yugi muttered, but Atem could hear the happy note in his voice.

Atem glanced down at the place where Yugi was lying and saw the few drops of blood there, his heart constricting in his chest as he kissed Yugi's forehead.

"I love you," Yugi spoke warmly and Atem's lips tilted up as he hugged Yugi closer.

"I love you too."

And they fell asleep, wrapped up in one another's arms.

**cut**

"I don't like this, Pharaoh," Bakura muttered, trying to look inconspicuous as he stood beside Atem who was sitting in a bench. They were in the city and it was close to nightfall.

Yugi, Ryou and Marik were standing beside a small shop, looking at different jewelry they had on display.

Atem leaned forward with his forearms on his knees and his hands clasped loosely between them as he watched like a hawk over his small lover. Yugi was smiling brightly, laughing as Ryou and Marik tried out different jewelry, making fun of one another along the way.

In a few short weeks Marik, Ryou, Tristan and Seto would start taking classes, while Yugi already arranged with his grandfather to start working at the shop instead of him. Atem and Yugi talked to Solomon, and once Atem was released from the Organization, he and Yugi would work together.

In all honesty, Atem couldn't wait, but as things were it wouldn't happen soon.

Their superiors contacted them and told them to be on guard. The Market was on the move because they were desperate. Just last week 7 of their colleagues were shot in the line of duty; two of them killed on spot, 3 escaping with lighter injuries and 2 fighting for their lives in separate hospitals.

Both Atem and Bakura were armed, their guns cleverly hidden by their clothes, but that gave them no comfort.

"There's nothing we can do, Bakura," Atem murmured and Bakura looked down at him. Even though Atem looked calm and collected, one look at his clasped hands told Bakura that he was anything but. His knuckles were white and Bakura could see that Atem's muscles were coiled as though he was ready to jump at any moment.

"Atem!"

The two looked up and Yugi ran over to them followed by Marik and Ryou. Atem's lips immediately tilted up into a smile, and Yugi stopped right in front of him opening both hands to show something to Atem.

"Don't they look great?" the teen asked and Atem chuckled when he saw two rings in Yugi's hands, the smaller one pure white, and the bigger one black.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one to buy rings?" Atem asked and Yugi choked up, immediately blushing to the tips of his ears.

"I didn't - I mean…" his stuttering was broken by Atem taking the rings from Yugi before he took Yugi's left wrist in his right hand and tugged on his arm until Yugi stood between Atem's parted thighs.

Atem bowed his head and kissed the knuckles of Yugi's left hand before he slipped the white ring on Yugi's ring-finger. He looked up and chuckled when he saw the furious blush on Yugi's cheeks, and tugged on the teen's hand to pull him into a kiss. When he moved back, Atem placed the black ring on his left hand ring finger, and warmth enveloped his heart. "Thank you," he said and looked up at Yugi, and the younger man smiled at him brightly.

"If we're done with chick-flick moments! I'm hungry!" Bakura snapped at them and everyone laughed at him.

"We _should_ go back," Yugi agreed while Atem stood up and wrapped his right arm around Yugi's waist.

"We could all go to Yugi's place and order pizza!" Ryou suggested, and Marik nodded, although he concealed a yawn with his right hand.

"I'll call Malik and the others. We could have a movie night," Yugi said and they slowly made their way back to Yugi's house.

Atem felt a shiver run down his spine and he glanced over his right shoulder.

"Atem?" he looked at Yugi who was looking up at him with a small worried scowl. "Is everything alright?"

Atem's lips tilted into a small smile and he kissed Yugi's forehead. "Yes. Everything's alright," he assured his lover before glancing over his shoulder again.

_I'll make sure of it._

**cut**

Yugi sighed as he placed the last plate in the dishwasher and wiped his forehead with his left forearm.

"Finally," he muttered into his chin. It was a fun evening, and everyone went home after they realized that it was well after midnight and that Yugi had to get up early in the morning to open the shop. Yugi decided to clean up as not to leave everything for tomorrow, but he was regretting it somewhat because he knew Atem was up in his - _their_ bedroom after helping him clean up the living room.

Yugi hiccupped and tensed up when he felt two hands on his waist, only to hum and shiver when a pair of familiar lips placed a loving kiss on the nape of his neck.

"Are you done?" Atem's voice which still sent shivers down Yugi's spine made the teen gasp, and he grabbed a hold of the counter in front of him when Atem slipped his hands under Yugi's shirt to tease soft skin with the tips of his fingers.

"Yeah, I just finished," Yugi answered in a wavering voice.

"Good," Atem's warm breath fanned over Yugi's ear and neck, and Yugi moaned when Atem flattened his body with Yugi's, making the teen feel the older man's hard length against the small of his back.

Yugi took a step forward to turn around, and he fisted his hands in the collar of Atem's shirt to pull him into a soul-searing kiss. He yelped into Atem's mouth when he hit the cabinet with the back of his thighs, and Atem moved back for a moment, taking a firm hold of Yugi's thighs to hoist him up on the counter.

Yugi parted his legs so Atem could slip between them, and moaned as he entwined his fingers in Atem's hair, pulling him into a kiss. He gasped and arched closer to Atem when his lover slipped strong hands up his thighs and took a hold of his ass, pulling him forward, grounding his hips against Yugi's, rubbing against him and making the younger man moan.

Yugi slipped his hands down Atem's shoulders and arms taking a firm hold of his forearms as he arched into his lover, and Atem kissed down Yugi's chin, latching his lips onto a fragile neck. Yugi wrapped his legs around Atem's waist, gasping for air as the older man tucked his hands inside Yugi's trousers.

Yugi moaned and threw his head back when he felt a finger tease his already wet entrance and he heard Atem curse under his breath as he pulled his hands out of Yugi's pants and picked him up into his arms, making Yugi wrap his around Atem's shoulders.

Yugi kissed down Atem's neck, hardly aware of the older man carrying him until he found himself lying on the couch in the living room, and Atem moved back to take his shirt off, before Yugi sat up to copy his lover's actions.

He didn't even have enough time to throw his shirt to the side before Atem's hands and lips were already on his chest and stomach, big hands burning loving touches into Yugi's sides and searing lips leaving ignited kisses over chest and shoulders.

Yugi's nails dug into the muscles of Atem's back, leaving parallel lines as Yugi dragged them to Atem's shoulders, while Atem slipped his hands down Yugi's sides and into his trousers, pushing them down while his kissed down the teen's stomach.

He cursed under his breath when he had to move back to take Yugi's trousers and boxers off, only to have to stop and take his shoes off as well. Atem threw the offending articles over his shoulder, glancing at Yugi when the younger man all but giggled, and a smirk tilted Atem' lips.

He climbed over the younger man and sealed his lips over Yugi's in a hard kiss, making the smaller man moan, and Yugi slipped his hands between them to unbutton and unzip Atem's pants.

Atem climbed to his knees to help Yugi only to yelp when his young lover placed his hands on Atem's chest and pushed him back. Atem chuckled when Yugi grinned at him, and helped Yugi take his trousers and boxers off, but before Atem could sit up, Yugi crawled over him and pecked his nose before kissing Atem's thin lips as he slid his hands down Atem's chest and stomach.

"I want to try something," Yugi murmured against Atem's lips, and a shiver ran down Atem's back when Yugi's dilated, almost black eyes met his as he started to go down on him.

"Oh my…" Atem's words died on his lips, his eyes slipped closed and his head tilted back when he felt Yugi's soft, wet lips on the tip of his aching cock.

Yugi's small hands were on Atem's thighs and his warm breath was fanning over the hard length, and every muscle in Atem's body coiled when his young lover took him into his mouth and sucked on the head of his sex.

"Yugi-…" Atem pressed out, brushing his right hand through Yugi's hair, breathing out sharply when Yugi moaned around his weeping cock, slowly taking more of it into his hot, wet mouth. "God, Yugi - just…" Atem bit into his bottom lip when Yugi raised his head only to feel like his breath was kicked out of his lungs when Yugi took him into his mouth again, this time taking as much as he could. "Fuck!" he grabbed Yugi's shoulders with his hands and raised him up ignoring Yugi's disgruntled yelp.

Atem pulled Yugi into a kiss, tasting himself on the small tongue, as he wrapped his left arm around Yugi and slid his right hand down Yugi's spine and to his ass to finger the wet entrance, making Yugi moan into the kiss.

"Not like that," Atem whispered against Yugi's lips as he took a hold of Yugi's thighs while the teen straddled him, and Yugi placed his hands on Atem's shoulders, gasping when he felt the head of his lover's cock against his entrance.

He swallowed and licked his lips as he slowly started to lower himself on Atem's member, and the older man gulped when he saw Yugi close his eyes and tilt his head back, pleasure written over every line of the beautiful face.

Both breathed out in relief when Atem bottomed out, and Yugi opened his eyes and looked down at Atem, cheeks covered with a heavy blush, hands fisted on Atem's chest, and lips parted as he breathed deeply.

Atem rubbed Yugi's thighs as he leaned up to kiss him, and Yugi rolled his hips experimentally, biting into his bottom lip when Atem's cock brushed against his pleasure spot, making something coil deep in his stomach.

Yugi cried out when Atem took a hold of his weeping length, and they started a quick rhythm, both yearning for release which was slowly building up. Atem pumped Yugi's cock in time with his thrusts, determined to make the younger man come first, eyes focused on Yugi's face as the teen bounced in Atem's lap.

The hold he had on Yugi's right thigh was almost bruising in its strength, but the teen appeared not to mind, as nothing but sounds of pleasure rolled off of his lips. Atem circled the head of Yugi's cock with his thumb, smearing the pre-come gathered at the slit all over it, and in the next moment, Yugi came into his hand with a choked up cry, bearing down on Atem's cock, clamping around him, and pulling him over the edge, making his older lover empty his load into his welcoming heat.

Yugi collapsed on Atem's chest, nuzzling his nose in Atem's neck, while the older man wrapped his arms around the smaller man and kissed his forehead lovingly. Their hearts beat almost in sync, and both were breathing heavily, but sated and content they cared for nothing.

A chuckle vibrated in Atem's chest when the teen fell asleep on top of him, and he hit his head back against the armrest of the couch.

With a content sight, Atem allowed himself to doze off, keeping a protective hold on his sleeping lover.

**cut**

Yugi woke up, pleasurably sated and completely calm. A smile tilted his lips when he sighted his older lover sitting beside him in their bed, propped up by a pillow against the headboard with his laptop in his lap.

His fingers were dancing quickly over the keyboard and his amazing eyes were obscured by reading glasses, and Yugi couldn't help but think that his lover was sexy like that, sitting naked in their bed, focused on whatever his was doing, bottom lip worried between blunt teeth and a small frown connecting thin eyebrows.

"You should be resting. You're getting up early as well." Yugi murmured and Atem stopped typing to look down at him, lips immediately tilting into a loving smile and the lines of his face losing the harshness they had less than a moment ago.

"I received news from the Organization. They're closing in on the Market, and we need to be ready for everything." Atem answered as he closed his laptop and placed it on the nightstand before he lied down and pulled Yugi into a hug.

Yugi rested his head on Atem's chest with a content sigh, placing his right hand on Atem's chest, right over the strongly beating heart.

"Should Marik and I avoid going out? It would make it easier for you and the others to watch over us." Atem chuckled and kissed Yugi's forehead as he placed his right hand on Yugi's head, entwining his fingers in messy locks, and covering Yugi's smaller hand with his left, taking a firm hold of it.

"I don't want to put you two into lockdown. You should live your lives as normally as possible," Atem murmured against Yugi's forehead, and the younger man sighed.

"I wish it was over. I wish you could quit being a Special Agent and work with me here at the shop. I don't want to put your life in danger," Yugi confessed quietly, and Atem's heart clenched as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "I know you and the others are always armed. I've noticed you look over your shoulder when we're outside, and I've seen you reach for your gun several times in the past days. I don't - I don't want anything to happen to you, Atem."

"Yugi…" Atem whispered when he felt tears fall on his chest, and he rolled Yugi over so he lied on his back and kissed his small lover lovingly, putting as much reassurance into the kiss as he possibly could. "Nothing will happen to me. We're always careful. I'm more worried about you than about myself and the others," he murmured as he rested his forehead on Yugi's, bracing his weight on his right arm as he placed his left hand flat on the bottom of Yugi's stomach.

He rubbed it comfortingly and Yugi sighed as he brushed his right hand through Atem's hair, his left hand clasped on his chest, the white ring shining in the weak light of the moon breaking in through the roof-window above the bed.

Atem took Yugi's left hand in his and raised it to his lips, laying a loving kiss on the ring. "Nothing will part me from you, my light; nothing and no one," he promised, and Yugi hiccupped when Atem looked into his tear-filled eyes. "No matter what happens, I will always come back to you. I wish to live my life with you. I wish to have as many children as you want, and I wish to raise them with you. And I will do everything in my power to make that happen."

Yugi smiled through tears and Atem leaned forward to kiss them away. "I love you, my light; I love you more than anything."

"I love you too, Atem. I love you too."

**cut**

"Something doesn't feel right," Atem looked at Malik when the slightly taller man spoke from his right. "I feel like we're being watched." Malik glanced over his right shoulder.

They were all together, walking beside the river, and Atem had to agree with Malik. The night was still; too still. They were too far from the center of the city to hear the sounds of the night life, and he could see it in the way Bakura and Joey walked that they felt it too.

"We should move off of the street; make our way back to either Marik's or Yugi's place." Atem muttered so only Malik could hear him.

Atem looked at the group of teens in front of them, and at Joey and Bakura who walked at the head of the group. His eyes met Seto's when the tallest among them glanced at him over his right shoulder, and Atem gave the business man a minute nod.

To his relief, Seto immediately reached for his cell phone to call his drivers.

They climbed the bridge and an alarm sounded in the back of Atem's head.

"Everyone run!" he shouted when bullets started flying everywhere.

Bakura grabbed Ryou and pulled him along with Malik copying his actions with Marik, Tristan with Serenity, Joey with Seto, and Atem with Yugi, running for the other side of the bridge as bullets rained on them from all sides.

They ran into a smaller street, taking cover behind a building, and Atem, Joey, Bakura and Malik pulled their guns out while Seto gave orders over his phone to his men, telling them where they were and to pick them up as quickly as possible.

"It was about damn time they showed themselves!" Bakura snapped as he raised his gun and took aim. The members of the Market stopped firing to come out of their hiding places, thinking they had them cornered.

A blood-thirsty grin covered Bakura's face as he took one of them down expertly while Malik covered for him, and Atem glanced at Joey who nodded before Atem crouched and took aim, certain that Joey had his back.

"They're on their way, ETA 10 minutes!" Seto informed them as the four Agents protected them, and their charges remained in the back. "We'll need to clear a path to the other side of the bridge!"

"Bakura! Malik! You two will run first! Joey and I will stay behind and cover for you!" Atem instructed and the others nodded, and Yugi's eyes widened in terror when one of their enemies came too close for comfort only to be shot down by Joey.

"We need to move out now!" Seto shouted when his phone beeped, and the Agents nodded. Joey ran from his place behind Atem to switch with Bakura and Malik, and Bakura waved the teens over while Joey and Atem cleared a path for them.

"Atem-…"

"We'll be right behind you, Yugi! GO!" Atem cut his lover off, not taking his eyes off of their targets, and Seto took Yugi's right hand in his left and pulled him close to shield him with his own body as they broke into a run.

They saw the cars park on the other side of the bridge and ran towards them while Bakura and Malik cleared their path, and Joey and Atem covered their backs.

"Ready, partner?!" Joey called out to Atem, and the violet eyed man smirked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he answered dryly, and Joey snorted as he changed the magazine of his gun, hurrying to cover for Atem while he did the same.

"NOW!" Joey snapped and the two ran out of cover, splitting their attention between shooting down their enemies and checking if the others were safe inside their cars.

"Go!" Atem ordered as he kneeled behind a dumpster on the entrance to the bridge, covering for Joey who ran past him, not questioning Atem's order.

"Atem!" he heard Yugi's frantic call and dared to glance behind. Seeing Seto holding Yugi back from running to him while Joey kneeled behind the car to cover for Atem, he cursed under his breath and broke into a run.

Yugi's heart clenched in his chest as Joey kneeled in front of him covering for Atem, while Seto held him back, half way in the car with his arms wrapped around Yugi's waist.

"He'll make it, Yugi! You need to get…"

"Not until he's…" Yugi's words died on his lips when he saw Atem trip when a bullet hit the ground in front of him.

In the next moment happened something that would forever haunt his dreams.

He saw Atem's eyes widen and him lose his balance when a bullet passed through his left shoulder.

"ATEM!" Yugi screamed as he watched his lover sway to the side and fall over the railing, and the resonating 'splash' of Atem's body hitting the water would forever echo in Yugi's mind.

"Joey, get in!" Seto snapped as he grabbed the stunned man's shoulder and pulled both him and Yugi in, slamming the door closed as they drove away.

"Yugi-…"

"He's gone!" Joey choked up when he met Yugi's wide eyes. There were no tears in his eyes; only shock, horror and fear. "He's gone-…"

"Yugi!" Joey and Seto lurched forward when Yugi's swayed, and Joey caught the smaller man in his arms as the teen lost consciousness. Joey looked at Seto who was pale and shaking, but there was still determination in ice-blue eyes.

"We're going to my place. No other place is safe," Seto spoke in a strained, raspy voice as Joey cradled Yugi in his arms.

Joey closed his eyes as he buried his nose in Yugi's hair, trying not to allow the loss of not only his commanding officer, but best friend as well get to him. When he felt tears trail down his cheeks, he knew he was failing, and when he felt a trembling hand settle on his shoulder, he raised his head and looked at Seto. "He's gone," he choked out, and the blue-eyed teen swallowed difficultly.

"I know," Seto whispered as he kneeled on the floor of the car and pulled both Joey and Yugi into his arms. "I'm sorry."

**cut**

Everyone looked up when the Kaiba family's personal doctor joined them in the living room. He was summoned by Seto the moment they came to the mansion, seeing that Yugi just wouldn't wake up.

"Is Yugi alright?" Tristan was the first to speak up from where he was sitting with Serenity on the love seat, holding her securely in his arms.

The doctor sighed and rubbed his eyes with his right hand. "He is under shock and stress. I did some tests on him before giving him something to calm him. He is pregnant." Everyone froze in their places and Serenity gasped and covered her lips with her hands.

"Yug' is-…"

"Yes, Mr. Wheeler," the doctor interrupted Joey, and the blond collapsed back in his armchair wide-eyed and choked up. "Mr. Moto is a little over a month pregnant. I gave him something to calm him. He needs sleep and rest, and if possible, he will need to eat something when he wakes up. Make sure that nothing aggravates him."

"That'll hardly be possible," Bakura growled as he crossed his arms over his chest and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. "He saw the father of his kid _die_ just over an hour ago."

"Bakura…" Ryou murmured his name and Bakura opened his eyes when, pulling his demure lover into his arms as Ryou's eyes filled with tears. Ryou buried his face in Bakura's neck as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders, and Bakura enveloped him into his arms.

"If he doesn't want to lose the child, he will have to take care of himself. First three months of pregnancies hold the biggest risk. He'll need to take vitamins, sleep and eat right."

"We'll do our best," Marik spoke up, not at all showing any signs of sleepiness. He was sitting close to Malik, their hands clasped in Malik's lap. Marik's lips were tight and his older lover was looking at him with a worried frown. "Yugi will lack nothing."

"Is there anyone else who needs medical attention?" the doctor asked and Seto shook his head, "Then I will take my leave." He left without another word, and heavy silence settled over everyone.

"I can't believe Atem's gone," Mokuba whispered weakly, and Seto took a seat beside him, pulling him into his arms and hugging him tightly.

"Yugi will be devastated," Tristan pressed out through his teeth as he hugged Serenity close to his chest and buried his face in her hair.

"He'll need all of us. We need to make sure that he and the child he carries make it through this," Ryou whispered through tears.

"You can all stay here for as long as it takes to handle this crisis," Seto offered seriously, keeping a strong front. "All the rooms on the second floor are free. Go. We all need some rest." The others nodded at him and stood up in pairs, leaving without saying a word to one another. "Come Mokuba," he whispered to his brother and gathered Mokuba into his arms before he looked at Joey who remained sitting in his armchair with his head bowed and hands fisted on his knees. "Will you wait here for me?" he asked and Joey just nodded minutely.

Seto left the room, and when the door closed Joey choked out a breath and tears trailed down his face.

"Why…" he pressed out through clenched teeth, "Why you?"

**cut**

Bakura closed the door of the room he and Ryou chose for themselves and turned around to look at his younger lover, not expecting to find him so close as to pull him into his arms right away.

He tried to stay strong, but when Ryou fisted his hands in his hair, tucking his head into his right shoulder, Bakura lost it.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Ryou, pulling him close to his chest, and allowed himself to cry for the first time since he was a child, alone on the streets of London, abandoned by his parents for being different.

"I'm right here, Kura," Ryou whispered and tightened his hold on Bakura, and together they cried. "I'm right here."

**cut**

Malik swallowed difficultly as he led Marik over to the big bed. Without a word he pulled the teen on it, took him into his arms and they lied down on the bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over themselves.

He buried his face in Marik's hair, feeling tears fill his eyes.

Malik's heart was aching as the scene of Atem falling into the river he saw through the window of the car repeated itself in his head over, and over, and over again. "He picked me up off of the streets," he pressed out through his teeth and Marik looked up at him, tears streaming freely down pale cheeks. "He was already an Agent when he found me, and he was the one who offered me a better life; told me that there was something beyond stealing to survive. He-…"

"Malik-…"

"He saved me!"

"Malik!"

The teen wrapped his arms around Malik, and the older man buried his face in Marik's chest, wrapping his arms around the teen's waist and holding on for dear life.

Marik buried his face in Malik's hair, and together they cried, both for Atem, and for Yugi.

**cut**

Tristan held Serenity as she cried into his chest, her small frame shivering against his as he tried to be strong for the both of them.

His heart ached for Yugi, and determination filled his very soul as he stared at the ground.

He would give his all to protect Yugi and his unborn child.

His all.

**cut**

Seto returned into the living room after he brought Mokuba into his room and laid him in his bed. His younger brother was already fast asleep when he did that, his young mind tired out by the horrors of the evening.

He stopped in his tracks when he found Joey curled up in the armchair with his arms wrapped around his legs which he hugged to his chest, face hidden in his knees.

Without a word, Seto walked over to Joey and placed his left hand on Joey's right shoulder. In that moment, to his surprise, Joey jumped up with a choked up cry, wrapped his arms around Seto's shoulders, flattened his body with Seto's and buried his face in Seto's chest, whole body wrecked with shivers as he sobbed within Seto's arms.

"Damn it," Seto pressed out through his teeth and gathered Joey into his arms, carrying him out of the living room, up the stairs and to his bedroom.

Joey reacted to none of it.

Seto closed the door of his bedroom with his foot and carried Joey over to the bed. He toed off his shoes before he took a seat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard with Joey in his lap like a small child, sobbing and crying, mourning the loss of his best friend.

"Joey…" Seto choked up on his words when Joey looked up at him, and Seto saw beautiful, cinnamon colored eyes full of tears and anguish.

"What did I do wrong?" Joey whispered brokenly, and Seto's heart clenched, "I was coverin' fer 'im! I shoulda seen it comin'! What did I do wrong?!"

"Nothing!" Seto interrupted him as he cupped Joey's face between his hands and looked straight into those beautiful eyes. "You did nothing wrong, you hear me? We were outnumbered, and you did everything you could. You couldn't have seen it coming. It was dark, and Atem was running towards us. The bullet could have hit anyone."

"But I…" Joey whimpered as he fisted his hands in Seto's shirt, "I was s'pposed ta see it! I'm tha best Sniper in tha force, _I was s'pposed ta see it_!" he cried out, and Seto - not knowing what else to do - pulled Joey into a scorching kiss, making the blond man whimper and hold on to Seto tighter, as though he would never let the blue eyed man go.

"You couldn't have seen it," Seto bit out as he fisted his hands in Joey's soft hair and rested his forehead against Joey's. "You couldn't have seen it, Joey."

The Agent whimpered as he bowed his head to hide his face in Seto's neck.

Seto wrapped his arms around Joey, not able to think of any words to say.

"I can't get it out o' me 'ead! I keep seein' 'is face, an' tha blood, an' - an' 'im fallin' o'er tha railin', an'…" Seto squeezed his eyes tightly shut and tightened his hold on Joey, "I jus' can't ge' it out of me 'ead!"

Joey cried as his whole body shook within Seto's hold, and the business man, known for his stoicism and cold heart, felt something inside him break.

"Please, Seto," Joey raised his head and looked in Seto's eyes, "please, make me f'rget! Please, I need - I need ta f'rget, please, I…"

Without knowing what else to do, Seto slammed his lips against Joey, stealing his breath away and all but forcing him on his back.

He could hear the stead line of _please, please, please, please,_ rolling off of Joey's lips as he unbuttoned Joey's shirt, and Joey fought to take it off and throw it to the side while Seto moved on to Joey's trousers.

Seto moved back to take his shirt off, feeling the sudden burning need to feel Joey's skin on his, _'it could have been him'_ echoing through his mind like some ominous, foreboding mantra. He quickly took his trousers and boxers off, before he climbed over Joey and kissed him as he pushed his hands inside Joey's pants and briefs, pushing them off of slim hips, and kissing down a well defined stomach before he shortly sucked on the head of Joey straining need, moving back to take his clothes off of him and throw them on the floor.

Joey sat up making Seto sit back on his legs as the blonde man fisted his hands in Seto's chocolate brown, short hair, kissing him for all it was worth. His lips were wet from tears and he shook against Seto as the younger man slid his hands down Joey's back to grab a hold of his ass-cheeks, squeezing them and pulling Joey forward to ground down on his aching length.

Both needed this.

They needed to feel alive.

They needed to know that the other was alive; to feel each other's skin and strong heartbeat against the other's chest as their breaths mixed between them. Seto reached with his right hand to Joey's entrance only to freeze up. "You're a Bearer," he gasped out and Joey froze up, almost flinching back.

"I…" Joey suddenly found himself on his back when he tried to move away, and Seto trapped him beneath himself with his hands fisted in the sheets on either side of Joey's head and his knees between Joey's parted legs.

"You're a Bearer," Seto pressed out as Joey covered his face with his hands as though he wanted to hide himself.

"Atem, he - I was taken by the Market when I was 14 'cause - 'cause tha bastard I called m' dad took money from 'em. My sister - they would 'ave taken 'er if I di'n't go an' - Atem saved me. I was his first mission an 'e - 'e saved me!"

"Joey…" Seto took a gentle hold of Joey's wrists and moved his hands away from his face, before he entwined their fingers and placed their joined hands on either side of Joey head.

"I wouldn' be 'ere wi'out 'im, Seto!" Joey whimpered as he shook his head, and Seto bowed down to kiss him, making the strong Bearer beneath him gasp and choke up as he arched off of the bed.

"We need condoms. I won't force you-…"

"No!" Joey wrapped his arms around Seto's shoulders when the blue-eyed man moved back, "No, I need to feel you. I need to feel all of you, please - please - I…"

"Damn it, Joey-…" Seto pressed out through his teeth before he kissed Joey hard, bracing his weight on his left hand as he trailed his right down Joey's left side, bypassing his straining cock to circle his entrance with his index and middle finger.

Feeling the muscles around Joey entrance resist his intrusion, Seto bit the inside of his right cheek as he rested his forehead on Joey's left shoulder, circling Joey's entrance before applying slight pressure with his index finger. The wet tight heat made Seto's cock twitch, and his heart skipped a beat when Joey gasped and his hips snapped up.

"Please, Seto, I need - I need you! Jus' - jus', _please_…" the Bearer whispered pleadingly, and something inside Seto broke. He moved back and flipped Joey over, taking a firm hold of Joey's hips as he pulled the blond up on his knees.

He took a hold of his hard cock with his right hand and led it to Joey's entrance, pushing in with one strong thrust, Joey's cry echoing in the big room, and matching Seto's grunt.

Losing what little sanity he had left, Seto pulled out of Joey only to slam back into him, changing the direction of his thrusts every time he'd push into the tight, pliant body beneath him, searching for the bundle of nerves inside Joey which would make the Agent see stars.

Joey arched his torso into the bed, meeting Seto thrust for thrust, as he spread his arms in front of himself and grabbed fistfuls of the silky sheets, almost tearing them apart.

Seto slid his hands down Joey's arched back and bowed down when Joey screamed in pleasure. He hardly pulled out of the tight heat, applying constant pressure on Joey's pleasure spot as he dragged his hands down Joey's arms and entwined their fingers together in the sheets. "Come for me, Joey. Come for me," he murmured against Joey's right ear, and Joey's whole body cramped up moments before he spilled his load onto the bed, his tight heat clamping down on Seto, milking him for all he was worth.

He pulled out of Joey and fell to the side, and the Agent turned around to pull himself as close to Seto as he could go. Seto wrapped his arms around Joey as the smaller man tucked his head under Seto's chin, and Seto buried his face in Joey's soft hair, breathing in his unique scent, mixed with the aroma of cream and coffee.

Exhausted, Joey quickly fell asleep, but Seto continued to rub the Bearer's back soothingly, his heart still beating quickly in his chest.

_I won't lose you,_ he thought as he tightened his hold on Joey. _I won't lose you_.

**cut**

Dull purple eyes looked up when the door of his room opened, and Serenity walked in followed by Mokuba and Tristan.

"We thought you might want to eat something," she said as she carried the tray over to Yugi, and he tried to smile at her, managing only a slight upturn of lips.

"Thank you," Yugi whispered as he raised his hands from where they rested on his stomach, and he allowed Tristan to fluff up his pillows while Serenity placed the tray in Yugi's lap.

It's been two weeks since they lost Atem, and everyone could see that while Yugi _did_ try to be strong for his unborn child, the loss of the love of his life was hitting him hard. He was strictly forbidden from getting out of bed, and everyone was dotting on him, doing everything they could to be there for him.

Solomon returned from his trip and closed the shop for the time being, needing to be there for his grandson. The loss of his daughter and son-in-law made the old man wary of losing his grandson as well, and he moved into Kaiba Manor together with everyone else to make sure that Yugi received all the care he needed.

Just yesterday Malik, Joey and Bakura were summed to the HQ of the Organization. The three Agents looked wary, and their eyes were filled with anger and the pain of their loss.

They made an oath to Yugi to avenge Atem's death, but to their surprise the only thing Yugi told them was to get back safe and sound.

He lost Atem.

He wouldn't be able to handle losing anyone else.

"How are you feeling today?" Mokuba asked as he took a seat to Yugi's left while Serenity took a seat to his right, and Tristan brought a chair over to his bed.

"I'm fine," Yugi answered as he swallowed a bite of the fruit-salad Serenity made for him. The three exchanged glances as he looked down and continued to eat, knowing that there was nothing they could say to make him feel better.

They could only hope that the little Bearer was strong enough to make it.

For both his and his child's sake.

**cut**

Heavy silence ruled over the Kaiba Manor as everyone slept. It was well past midnight, and no one saw dark shadows moving over the terrain surrounding the Manor, heavily armed and threatening in their silence.

When the alarm sounded, it was already too late for anyone to do anything.

Yugi and Marik were gone.

**cut**

"Yugi? Yugi, wake up!"

The pregnant young man opened his eyes with a groan, and the first thing he saw was Marik's face, his eyes full of both relief and fear. "Thank heavens!" he breathed out as he helped Yugi sit up, cradling the smaller teen in his arms carefully and tenderly, with his back turned on the only door in the room, as though he wanted to shield Yugi with his body.

"Marik? What happened?" Yugi whispered, and Marik hugged him tightly to his chest.

"We were taken. I don't know where we are, but I heard a few people moving outside." Yugi's eyes widened and he would have panicked if Marik didn't smile at him reassuringly as he reached under the collar of his t-shirt and pulled out a necklace with a pendant on it.

Yugi frowned when he saw a red light blinking from the jewel on the pendant, and he looked in Marik's eyes questioningly.

"Malik gave me this before they left because he was afraid something like this would happen. They'll find us in no time," Marik whispered and Yugi sagged against him in relief, his hands immediately covering his stomach.

"Where the fuck is Dartz?! We're supposed to transport to load immediately!"

The two huddled together with Marik wrapping his arms around Yugi protectively.

"Fat load of good it will do," another man growled. "Both of them were already used, and the small one's pregnant. We won't get a high price for them."

"That can be handled."

A sly voice made both teens shiver, and they moved as one towards the back of the room, with Marik moving in front of Yugi when the door opened.

Both squinted and flinched when the light was turned on, and a tall man with long, light blue hair, and different colored eyes walked in. He looked down at them with a leering smirk, and Yugi curled up, his arms wrapped protectively around his stomach, while Marik got up to his feet, standing in front of Yugi, ready to protect him with his life.

"Stand down, child. It would not do for you to be damaged more than you already are." The one they assumed was Dartz drawled slyly and Marik glared at him.

"Whatever your plans are, you won't make it," Marik pressed out through his teeth and Dartz hummed with a mocking smirk on his face.

"Whatever makes you believe that? Of course, the Underground Market practically doesn't exist anymore due to the Organization's efforts, but there will always be buyers. As I said earlier to my dear employees; this way at least _I_ hold the monopole on the Market. You two will bring me enough money to start anew, once your child is aborted of course, Mr. Moto."

"Keep on dreaming!" Yugi snapped and Marik looked over his right shoulder at his best friend, his eyes widening when he found Yugi on his feet, a furious expression on his face, and his eyes glowing with hate. "You'll _never_ make it! Our friends will-…"

"Your friends need to find you first, my dear Yugi!" Dartz mocked gleefully. "And by the time they find this place, we will all be long…" the rest of his sentence was interrupted by an explosion which shook the whole building, "What in the-…"

"Dartz! We heave a breach! It's the Organization!" one of Dartz' goons ran into the room and Dartz growled darkly before he looked at Marik and Yugi who were smirking at him smugly.

"Take these two to the trucks!" Dartz snapped and marched out of the room, pulling a gun out of the back of his trousers.

The moment he was gone Marik and Yugi shared a glance, their lips tilting into a smirk, and they looked at the two huge men blocking their entrance.

"Be good and nice, and you won't be harmed," one of them said as they advanced towards Yugi and Marik.

"Oh, we will be good," Marik drawled.

"Good enough to run away!" Yugi agreed and they broke into a run, running past the two apes, closing the door before they ran down the hallway, snickering as the two hit the door, shouting to be let out.

"Which way?" Yugi called out when they came to a meeting of two hallways, and they looked around, trying to decide where to go.

"MARIK!"

They breathed sighs of relief when, followed by an explosion, Malik and Bakura ran into the hallway to Yugi and Marik's right.

"Malik!" Marik cheered as he ran into his lover's arms, and Marik hugged him tightly while Bakura ran over to Yugi, catching the pregnant teen a second before his knees betrayed him.

"We need to get you two out of here. Joey's going a bit overboard with the bombs," Malik said with a grin while Bakura, with Yugi in his arms, ran over to them.

"Are all of you alright?" Marik asked, checking Bakura and Malik over with his eyes.

"The Market's going down. We're _great_!" Bakura said with a shark like grin, and Marik chuckled while Malik shook his head with a sigh, and Yugi snickered weakly.

"Let's get out of here," Malik suggested when another explosion sounded a bit too close for comfort, and they made their way out.

"Hold Yugi!" Bakura thrust the small teen into Marik's arms, pulling his gun out as he turned on his heel and shot down a few members of the Market.

Marik lowered Yugi on the ground before he kneeled and offered his back to Yugi.

"I can-…"

"Climb my back. You shouldn't be running." Knowing that there was no time to argue, Yugi climbed Marik's back, and they ran after Malik, with Bakura watching their back.

The exit out of what appeared to be an old warehouse came into sight, and Marik let go of a breath of relief.

But it came too soon.

Several gunshots echoed through the sudden silence, and the four hit the floor, Yugi rolling away from Marik, wrapping his arms around his stomach, instinctively protecting his unborn baby.

"Yugi!" the teen raised his head weakly, his eyes widening when he saw Marik crawling over to Malik's side, the Agent clutching at his right thigh as blood flowed over his fingers. Bakura was a few meters away from them, putting pressure on a wound in his right shoulder as he tried to get up.

All of their eyes were focused on Dartz who was almost _strolling_ towards Yugi. The safety of his gun clicked as he stepped right in front of Yugi and took aim, and the purple-eyed teen found himself staring up the barrel of the gun.

"It's a pity. You could have been a good investment," Dartz spoke as he got ready to shoot, and Yugi held his breath.

He twitched and yelped when the sound of a gunshot echoed through the air only to hear someone hiss and metal hit the ground.

He opened his eyes and looked up at Dartz, a shiver running down his body when he saw Dartz clutching his right hand with his left. With his heart beating quicker than ever, Yugi slowly followed Dartz' line of sight.

And in the next moment, he stopped breathing.

Standing in the doorway, his form outlined by the setting sun behind him was Atem.

His right arm was raised, gun steadily aimed at Dartz who stared at Atem with shock and horror on his face.

"It's - it's impossible!" Dartz gasped as rage filled his eyes, "You're supposed to be dead! I shot you myself!" he raged and raved and Atem hummed as he bowed his head, looking at Dartz over the top rim of his glasses, murder written over every line of his face.

"You missed," he bit out in a deep, tight voice.

In the next moment, Dartz turned on his heel and broke into a run.

"Atem! Finish it!" Bakura snapped, and in the next moment, the last gunshot of the evening echoed through the warehouse, and Dartz fell on the ground, gurgling his last breath.

Before Yugi could utter a word, Atem allowed his gun to fall on the ground and ran over to him.

"Yugi?" he gasped out breathlessly, his right arm hovering over Yugi's left shoulder, Atem's left arm cradled safely in a big, white cloth tied around his neck.

"You're - you're alive?" the teen breathed out as tears filled his eyes, and he slowly climbed to his knees. "You're alive!"

Atem only grunted when Yugi threw himself into his arms as tears of relief and happiness trailed down his cheeks.

Atem hugged him back to the best of his abilities, burying his nose in Yugi's right shoulder as he breathed in his scent.

Neither heard it when the ambulance arrived, following the police.

They were together again, and nothing else mattered.

**cut**

"I don't remember much, to be perfectly honest." Atem murmured as he held Yugi tightly to his chest.

6 hours passed since the Market was destroyed. Bakura, Malik, Marik, and Atem were taken into the hospital, and Solomon took Yugi - who fell unconscious the moment it was over - home, while Joey went to hand in a report and their letters of resignation to the Organization.

Their injuries were treated and they were sent home, leaving to see their respective lovers.

Now Atem was sitting against the headboard of their bed, with his small lover nuzzled against him, Yugi's head resting on Atem's chest and his right hand fisted in Atem's shirt, right over his heart, as though he would never let go of him.

Atem's right arm was wrapped tightly around Yugi, and he was covering Yugi's left hand with his own, uncaring of the freshly bandaged wound on his left shoulder.

"I know I woke up three days after we were attacked in the Headquarters of the Organization. The fact that I survived was kept hidden from anyone. I was supposed to wait until it was all done, but I heard them organize the attack. I would have stayed behind if I didn't hear that you and Marik were taken."

"I'm just glad you're alive, and that it's over," Yugi whispered as he pulled himself closer to Atem, and his older lover kissed the crown of his head, rubbing Yugi's back with his right hand soothingly.

"I'm sorry I put you through that, Yugi," Atem spoke in a tight voice, and Yugi hid his face in Atem's chest. "I'm sorry I let you believe that I was dead, but there was no way for me to contact you without risking Dartz intercepting the message. I'm so sorry."

"I'm just happy you're alive," Yugi spoke, and Atem's heart clenched when he felt Yugi's tears through his thin T-shirt. "I wouldn't have made it alone. I tried to hold on for the both of us but I - I wouldn't have made it."

"I'm back," Atem whispered as he hugged Yugi with both arms, not even feeling the pain in his shoulder. "We'll move permanently into your house, and it'll be the two of us for as long as it will take me to assure you that I'm back, and that I'm never leaving you again."

"Four of us." Yugi corrected him, and Atem frowned.

"Four?" he asked, realizing that he forgot about Solomon, but-…

"Yeah; four of us," Yugi slowly raised his head and looked in Atem's eyes, his own full of tears and happiness. "Grandpa, you, me and - and our baby." Atem's eyes widened as he held his breath.

"You're-…"

"I'm pregnant, Atem," Yugi whispered as his lips stretched into a grin. "I'm pregnant with your child."

Not knowing what to say, Atem rolled onto Yugi, kissing him like he never kissed him before. Yugi laughed against his lips, giggling when the annoying pain in Atem's shoulder stopped the _former_ Agent from moving too much.

Yugi cupped Atem's face between his small, trembling hands and pulled him into a slow, loving kiss. "We're going to be parents," he whispered against Atem's lips as he slid his hands down to Atem's chest and pushed on it until Atem was lying on his back.

Yugi climbed to his knees as he bowed over Atem to kiss him, and Atem placed his hands on Yugi's still thin waist, still unable to comprehend that there was a child growing in that perfect, small body.

He shivered when Yugi moved back and took his shirt off, his lithe form bathed by the moonlight shinning through the roof-window above them. He quickly took his pants off, baring himself to Atem's hungry eyes, and a blush covered his cheeks as he moved on to help Atem out of his clothes.

The older man hissed as he raised his hips and his already achingly hard cock was freed, and he hit his head back against the pillow as Yugi undressed him completely before he straddled his waist and rotated his hips almost teasingly.

"You're going to be a father, Atem," Yugi whispered as he bowed forward, framing Atem's head with his forearms, and Atem reached behind Yugi to tease his already wet entrance with his right index finger. Yugi moaned as he kissed Atem, shivering when he pushed his finger inside Yugi and twisted it around a bit, teasing his entrance with shallow thrusts.

Yugi placed a loving kiss on Atem's bandaged shoulder before he straightened and rose up on his knees, reaching behind himself with his left hand to take a hold of Atem's hard cock, guiding it to his entrance. He fisted his right hand on Atem's chest, bracing his weight on it while Atem took a hold of Yugi's thighs with his hands, rubbing them encouragingly, as Yugi slowly lowered himself on Atem's weeping member, taking him in inch by agonizingly slow inch.

The pace was slow and deliberate in Yugi's intent to prolong the pleasure, having them both dangle at the very edge of their orgasms for as long as possible. They were almost breathing as one, Atem resisting the need to roll them over and pound into Yugi's pliant, welcoming, warm body, knowing that they needed - that _Yugi_ needed this.

He needed to know that Atem was alive.

He needed to reassure himself that he wouldn't have to raise their child alone.

"Yugi…" Atem whispered and Yugi opened his eyes to look down at him, suddenly quickening the pace. He rested his forehead on Atem's, and his older lover started to thrust into him faster, hitting his prostate with every forceful thrust, pushing him over the edge, and making him come between them.

Atem followed after him a second later, bathing his insides in his warm seed as his cock pulsated inside Yugi's constricting heal.

Careful of Atem's injured shoulder, Yugi rose off of Atem's cock and fell to his side, resting his head on Atem's uninjured shoulder, and wrapping his right arm around his older lover's waist.

Everything would be alright.

Their child would grow up with both of its parents, surrounded by family and love.

The Underground Market was no more, and Atem and Yugi - _all_ of them - could finally live in peace, without worrying about anyone disrupting it.

They were finally free to live and love, and no one would take that away from them.

"I love you, my light," Atem whispered before he kissed the crown of Yugi's head, and his small lover kissed his chest before he tucked his head under Atem's chin.

"I love you too, my shadow. I love you too."

**cut**

**Hope you liked it!**

**This one's a bit long, but I love it. **


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